Harry Potter and the Time of the Lost
by The Black Iris
Summary: Sequel to Phoenix Song: Harry survived his attack on Voldemort, but barely. Nursed back to health by creatures that knew more of the darkness of the world then even Voldemort, Harry takes a journey to find family, freedom and Life.
1. Prologue

_Harry survived his attack on Voldemort, but barely. Nursed back to health by creatures that knew more of the darkness of the world then even Voldemort. Harry finds himself with a new future ahead of him and a new life and an even greater darkness that he, himself, had created._

_**Harry Potter and the Time of the Lost**_

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Prologue

July, 1996 - Heidelberg, Germany

He'd had enough; this dark wizard that kept terrorizing his customers and driving away his business was going to pay. The tall brown-eyed, dark haired man knocked hard on the wooden door and waited. The old mansion that stood magically concealed to muggles was hidden in the hillside on the far side of the old castle of Heidelberg and it towered over him, casting him in shadow. The mansion was the only magically concealed building left in Heidelberg, and if he had anything to say about it, it would be the last. Outside magic was not welcomed in this town. The small city held its own magic; it did not need the magic of the wizarding world to taint it.

After several long seconds, and another fierce knock, a small creature with huge yellow eyes and floppy ears nervously answered the door.

"House Elf, I would like to speak with your master."

"My master is not receiving visitors, Sir," squeaked the barley dressed elf, fretfully ringing her long skinny fingers.

"He will receive me, now go and tell him that J. Harold is here to see him," the man again waited as the elf scurried off. He straitened his tie-less black suit and waited for several more long seconds before a pompous looking wizard with light brown hair entered into the entry hall.

"My House Elf instructed that I was not receiving visitors. What do you want this time Mr. Harold?" The wizard asked as he brushed invisible dust off of immaculate robes.

"I am here to bargain for the discontinuation of aggressions against my Apothecary," the dark haired man said barely civilly but in a calm voice.

"Are you now? Bargain? Exactly what aggressions do you wish for me to discontinue?" the wizard asked in amusement as he leaned on his wolf's head cane, a cane that was too rich to really belong to him.

"I want for you to call your goons off and stop harassing my customers away from my business. This town is not big enough for the both of us, there for I want you to leave and not come back."

"Really and what is a great Muggle such as yourself going to do against a great Wizards such as me?" The wizard laughed pretentiously.

A twitch of a smile came to the raven-haired man's lips as he reached out his hand, pointing his palm towards the wizard. "Who said anything about me being a Muggle? _Crucio_!" The wizard dropped to the floor and screamed out and wreathed in agony for nearly a full minute before the curse was lifted. If the wizard had voiced his opinion of the curse, he would have said that the pain and power of it rivaled that of even the Dark Lord, not that he was going to do so. "Now, you were going to leave, were you not?" Mr. Harold said calmly.

The wizard shakily scrambled to his feet, his cane forgotten on the floor. "Please, my master commanded that I stay in this town, if I leave he'll kill me," he begged.

"Think of it this way, if you stay, I will most certainly kill you, but if you leave, at least you'll have a chance to run," the man clamped a hand onto the wizard's robes. "And you can tell Lord Voldemort that this Muggle village is protected by the Heir of Merlin and anyone he sends here I will kill, without hesitation. He cannot and will not have the Magic of Heidelberg!"

The wizard nodded furiously and then disappeared with a loud crack as he was released.

J. Harold sighed and picked up the silver wolf's head cane with slight interest and made to leave when he heard a small whimper and a weak cry for help. He turned on his heals. "You, is there anyone else in this house?"

The tiny House Elf shook her head 'no' furiously, but whimpered, "yes, down stairs," before disappearing to follow her master.

J. Harold followed the grand staircase down to the floor below. He drew his wand before he opened the nearest door and looked into a dank dim room. What he saw was appalling, but he did not flinch at it.

A girl in tattered black wizard's robes was chained to the far corner of the room and it looked as if her only luxury was the small cot that she was lying on. She had dark circles under her eyes and she was deathly pail with several visible scars on her fair skin. The black of her matted dirty hair brought out, with stark clarity, her reduced pallor.

The blue-eyed girl scrambled to the far end of her cot and looked at him with wide fear filled eyes, as she pushed herself against the wall. "It is alright, I will not harm you," he said as he pointed his wand at the chains and they fell away from her wrists and ankles. "Come now; let me take you out of here," he said as he picked the girl up off the cot as if she weighed nothing. The girl was so shocked that she didn't even fight. "I should not have let him live," he mumbled right before he Apparated with the girl to his home above his shop.

He laid her on his sofa and summoned to him a small medical kit. He was just rummaging around for a calming draught when the girl first spoke to him. And he looked up to her searing blue eyes.

"H-he never hurt me, h-he n-never treated me well, b-but he never hurt me. It was t-the boy that came, t-the boy with the w-white hair and g-gray eyes."

"A Malfoy," he whispered, wondering, knowing that he was right, white hair, grey eyes, it was a trademark. "Here drink this, it'll calm you down. Let me see your wrists," he said after she had swallowed the potion. "Fairly resent cuts, you did them yourself?"

"Yes, I w-wanted to die, but he would not let me, the b-boy with the gray eyes."

"You're lucky he did not kill you himself, Malfoys are not one for letting their victims live," he said as it was a matter of fact and he gently tended to the girls wounds, most of them not created by the girl. "My name is Mr. J. Harold, I own the Apothecary downstairs, what is your name?"

"Mikhail… Aker," the girl replied softly, firmly.

"An Aker; what are you doing so far away from Egypt?"

"I was stolen from my people when I was seven, I've spent my life trying to get back," the girl yawned before she quickly drifted off to sleep, under the effects of the sleeping draught that he had mixed into the calming draught.

J. Harold watched the young girl sleep, perhaps not so young, sixteen if he had to guess. He didn't know why but he felt a connection to the child and whispered a promise to the girl. "When you are strong enough to face your people, I will help you find them."

Of what little J. Harold knew about the Aker, their lands were undetectable and were only reachable by the sea of sand that formed the Sahara. And of course, there were many challenges to be faced that only a true Aker could withstand. So yes, they'd wait until she was strong enough, and until then, he'd take care of her. He didn't know why but he felt as if it were his duty to protect this child like she were his own.

His own…

He looked down at the wolf's head cane that lay on the floor by his side. He wondered for a moment if the wizard knew that this girl was an Aker. After a few minutes of debate, J. Harold decided that the wizard must have known and any man that would give a servant to a Malfoy did not deserve to live. No one that served Voldemort, deserved to live anyways.

J. Harold reached out his mind and magic and sensed the Apparation lines throughout his small city, it wasn't hard to find them, only two existed at that moment his and the wizards. The wizard had not gone far. With a small 'pop' J. Harold disappeared, with a cruel smile on his lips. It was time to take care of some unfinished business.

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A/N: The Prologue is complete, onto the story. :)


	2. The End of the Beginning

_Harry finds that he has survived._

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter One – The End of the Beginning

April 14, 1997 The Rhinns of Galloway, Scotland

…_Harry then fell to his knees and screamed out as pain exploded in his scar. It was what he had been waiting for, but he was, as always totally unprepared for it. The projection of the Dark Lord appeared before him and everything went silent throughout the clearing. Harry shot his head up from his hands, blood trickled from his scar into his eyes but Harry just wiped it away. "I did everything you wanted; I betrayed all those who trusted me, everyone I ever loved. Why won't you leave me alone?" Harry screamed at the projection, but underneath his façade, he was calm and his mind was working furiously to break the connection with Voldemort, he could not be connected with him when he used the pendant._

"_Because Potter, a prophecy demands that I destroy you before you can destroy me. Lucius stop playing around and kill him!" Voldemort demanded._

"_Why don't you kill me yourself?" Harry yelled as he just managed to jumped to the side as the Killing Curse flew through the projection of Voldemort. It whizzed past his ear, a little too close for comfort. He was going to die, but it would be by his own terms. Harry backed away towards the edge of the cliff, so close to the edge that disturbed dirt and rock fell under his feet into the churning ocean far below. Harry looked down into the dark waters just as his mind finally found the link. 'Thank you,' Harry thought, as his head snapped up and a smile came to his lips, a genuine smile. It was finally going to be over; Dumbledore could do the rest._

_Harry sent a pulse of pure magic through the link and it snapped, permanently. Harry fell back down to his knees and grasped his hand around the pendant that hung from his neck. The image of Voldemort faded and then there was a crack and the real Voldemort appeared in the place of the projection._

"_What did you do!" demanded the Dark Lord as he raised his wand at Harry._

"_Hardly anything compared to what I'm going to do!" Harry screamed and pulled the pendant from his neck. He didn't have to concentrate hard, but he did have a moment of hesitation. This was going to kill him, he knew it and he accepted it, but deep down he still didn't want to die. _

_Harry grabbed hold of his own pure magic and pushed it into the power of the pendant. The pendant left his hand and then a beam of clear purple shot out of both sides of it. One connected to him and the other connected to Voldemort. That was the easy part and Harry was already shaking with the effort of keeping Voldemort from breaking the connection. _

_He took a deep breath in as an invisible hand grabbed hold of Voldemort's power and Harry yanked it back within himself, like pulling on a rope. Harry felt more then saw the pure magic rush at him from the beam. It hit him and he felt it absorb into him, but then something happened that was unexpected, very unexpected, and Harry nearly broke the connection himself. Along with taking Voldemort's pure magic, it also took part of Voldemort, the part of Voldemort that was still human, and it slammed into Harry without any warning. Harry staggered to his feet, overwhelmed with pain, and surprise etched into his face. Harry looked Voldemort straight in the eyes, but Tom Riddle no longer existed there, as he felt himself dying inside. The only thing left was a darkness, worse then what had controlled Harry._

_A calm came over him as the rest of the pure magic Tom Riddle ever possessed bonded with him. Harry's voice was barely above a whisper, but he spoke his words forcefully. "We're dead now Tom, we killed each other." Harry wasn't speaking to the Dark Lord in front of him._

_Voldemort fell to his knees. "What did you do? What did you do!" he screamed. Voldemort's voice held fear as he raised his wand at Harry._

_Harry looked back towards the ocean. And then panic clutched at him. Harry took in his last breath with fear in his eyes. "I don't want to die," Harry breathed for the last time and fell, but nothing caught him and all air left his lungs. Darkness claimed him far before his body plunged into the icy ocean far below…_

x x x x x x x x x

Harry Potter was delirious with confusion and pain as he grasped at the wet sandy earth beneath him. He struggled weakly to pull himself free of the ocean river's current but only managed to pull his upper body out of the freezing water, before he collapsed on his stomach. He struggled to inhale something other then water and immediately starting coughing up all the seawater that he had already inhaled, along with a fair amount of blood. Harry forced himself to roll onto his back as the pain was too great to be on his front. All of his organs felt like they were on fire even as the rest of him was turning to ice.

Harry closed his eyes and that was when he realized that he was breathing. He was alive. The question of how it was possible was shoved aside, as his thoughts on what had happened, finally had the time to catch up with him. Harry started laughing hysterically even as he still coughed. Harry tried to fight the madness that was welling up inside him. The Irony of his life overwhelmed his senses. Harry was sure that if he had been anyone else he would be dead right now, he should be dead. No matter what Harry had expected, he had not expected this, he had not expected life.

Harry's laughing slowly turned into sobs and then into ragged breath, as the pain from his body began to turn into numbness. He laid there, wishing that the feeling of nothingness, which drifted over him, would stay, and he would have let himself fall into unconsciousness then, but a stubborn voice said if he did, then he would die. Harry forced open his eyes tiredly and stared up at the blue sky. He didn't know how much time had passed since he had fallen from the cliff, but he knew that it was at least hours as the sun was settling past noon. It hadn't been more then eight o'clock when he had awoken at the village. He didn't remember how long his stand off with Voldemort had lasted, it seemed like hours, but also seconds.

Harry didn't think he had the strength to stand, let alone walk, but he knew that he needed help. Harry forced himself over, against the pain and pushed himself up so that he was sitting on his knees. He crawled further up the sloped embankment and out of the water before he nearly collapsed again. He'd never been in such pain in his life, bar the forced pain of the Cruciatus.

Harry held himself up on his hands as he looked around him in a daze. There didn't seem to be anyone around. He couldn't even see any houses or even towns. Harry's dulled brain and the pain that was starting to make him shake, reminded him that he needed to find help. There was the river that was in front of him and a grassy field behind that, but no one, everything was deserted. Harry hadn't looked behind him yet, but he was pretty sure there was a forest somewhere over the ridge of the embankment, as it cast a shadow over him and he had seen the tips of trees when he had been on his back. Harry was about to try and get to his feet when he heard the voice.

It came from above and behind him and was distinctly female. "Hey, you there, are you alright?"

Harry turned slightly to look up the embankment at the woman, but it wasn't a woman, well it was, just not human. Harry shook his head in surprise and blinked; he looked back up again and he saw that he was right and she wasn't a hallucinating. She was a centaur.

Now if Harry's brain had been working correctly, he would have wondered what a centaur was going there, but it wasn't, and he just shook his head dumbly. "I don't think so," Harry whispered before he collapsed, this time he wasn't going to get back up on his own.

"Oh! Alara, Evine, come here quick!" The centaur called as she slid carefully down the embankment towards Harry.

Harry groaned and tried to push himself back up again but just ended up crying out in more pain. The centaur stood over him as two girls, that could have been Harry's age, ran down the embankment.

"Quickly, help me get him to the grove, he can ride on me," the centaur commanded as she knelt down.

"Are you sure Mata? The others will not like this," one of the girls asked as they each got on one side of him and took him by the arms. They lifted him up, which made Harry cry out in more pain.

"Do you have any other suggestions of getting him there? The two of you may be strong, but he is a near full-grown man. You would not even be able to drag him all the way to the grove," the centaur said sternly. "Now help him get on my back, and be careful, I think his injuries are internal."

"Thank you," Harry whispered as he forced himself to take most of his weight off the two girls as they helped him onto the centaurs back. It wasn't exactly comfortable sitting on the centaur's back and he slumped over, nearly falling off, as she stood.

"Easy there," the centaur said as she steadied him with her arm. "I'm called Mata. What is your name?" she said gently as she moved up the embankment.

Harry tried not to lean against her but he was so tired. "Harry, my names Harry," he answered weakly as he tried to stay awake.

"Nice to meet you, Harry; hold on, it is just a little ways further," Mata said as they entered into the forest Harry had seen the tips of the trees of. "Evine, run forward; alert Nemaek and Aska. Tell them I am bringing an injured human into the grove, and not to shoot us. Don't tell Mann, if he's back."

"Yes, Mat," the girl, Evine said and then started to run ahead. Harry had to blink as she disappeared through the trees as fast as he could fly a broom.

"What?" Harry shook the fog that was settling over him out of his head. "Shoot us?" he coughed and was alarmed when he tasted blood in his throat.

"Don't worry. Humans aren't normally allowed in the grove, but it will be alight, I hope," Alara said as she walked beside them with a worried expression.

Mata suddenly came to a stop and Alara caught Harry before he fell. "Aska, please; he will die if he does not get healing soon."

Harry's vision wavered and when it cleared, what he saw was not what he had expected. A wizard stood in their path with a sword strapped to his back and his wand pointed at them. "I do not care, he is human, take him to his own."

"It is alright, Aska, let them through," a male voice, strong with an accent Harry had never heard before, came from somewhere above them, but Harry didn't have the strength to look for the source.

Aska lowered his wand and crossed his arms over his chest. "Fine, but he is your charge while he is here, Nemaek. I will not be held responsible for what Mann will do when he returns."

"Mann will do nothing, as long as he is under my protection," the voice above them growled. Aska glared to the treetops before he turned and walked away.

Mata let out a sigh, as did Alara beside them. "See I told you not to worry. Though I don't think Mann will like this," Alara added in a whisper as they moved on.

Harry saw that they were on the edge of a large clearing, which had a wall of trees around it. In the clearing, there were some small cottages, and some larger ones, and a structure of sorts, a house or barn, towered over everything from the center.

"Mann is not here and has been gone for days. If he wants to leave us for so long then he can leave decision making to us," Mata said sternly as she entered through the archway of one of the larger cottages on the outskirts of the clearing. Alara followed them in and braced Harry as he slid from Mata's back with a groan. "Harry, remove your clothes, you are soaking wet and look frozen."

Harry did want to get out of his wet clothes but he looked uncertainly at the two females.

"Oh for heavens sake," Alara said as she rolled her eyes and began to pull Harry's tattered and wet robes off. "Men, doesn't matter what species they are, they always… Oh dear!" she exclaimed as Harry's skin was exposed. Mata, get the healer now! Strengthening… no, just tell Murk he's dying from the inside!"

Mata rushed out of the cottage as Alara gently pushed Harry down into a chair and threw a blanket over his shoulders, covering his skin before Harry had a chance to see. "What?" Harry cried out in a gasp and tried to remove the blanket, but Alara stopped him.

"Trust me, you do not want to see," Alara said as she looked up with worry in her eyes, to Mata, who had just come back with a little man that reminded Harry of Professor Flitwick, but younger.

"Out of the way Alara, how did this happen?" the man said with a calm voice as he removed the blanket from around Harry.

Harry's breath caught in his throat. His flesh on his torso was bruised a deep purple and Harry could see everyone of his vanes, like a disorganized spider web, across his chest and stomach. "Pure Magic, I absorbed all… ah…" Harry doubled over as the pain suddenly tripled.

"Merlin's Beard!" the healer whispered as he reached into a sack at his side. He pulled out four vials, one of which Harry recognized as a strengthening potion, the others, Harry had never seen before. Murk pushed Harry back and forced him to drink the first two vials.

The pain abated to a dull throb almost immediately and Harry leaned back in the chair weakly. The next of the vials was handed to Harry who took it with his left hand and swallowed it as Murk stood up and backed away.

"Aska!" the man shouted out the door and the wizard came running in. "He has the mark!"

Harry looked down at his left forearm. The dark mark was as dark as Harry had ever seen it. "I…" Harry started to explain but Aska already had his wand pointed at him and Mata had moved to block him.

"Stand aside Mata, he's a Death Eater!" Aska commanded and Mata did as she was told with sadness in her eyes.

"No," Harry said tiredly. "No, not anymore, I betrayed him, Voldemort… I killed him," Harry whispered.

"The Dark Lord is dead! You lie, your mark still burns!" Aska shouted angrily.

"No," Harry whispered and closed his eyes tightly as the pain started to return. "The Dark Lord lives, the darkness lives… I killed the man inside. I killed Tom Riddle when I took his Pure Magic." Harry was quiet for a long moment as he remembered. Harry opened his eyes again and looked at Aska. "He died, when I died, but he… he didn't come back when I did." Harry remembered weakly, he had died, his heart had stopped before he had fallen from the cliff. He remembered feeling it, and being so afraid, and then it had started again when he had hit the ocean. The shock had forced his heart to beat again and woke him up and pulled him back from the darkness that Harry had been so afraid off.

Aska lowered his wand and walked over to where Harry sat staring at him. The man moved the hair aside from his scar on his forehead. "Harry Potter," he spat and turned away and stocked out of the cabin.

Harry didn't have long to be confused by this as whatever the three potions he had drunk caught up to him and he barely had enough time to look up to Mata in confusion before he passed out.

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A/N: Chapter One complete, Chapter Two soon to come.


	3. Life

_Recovering from mortal wounds takes time; recovering from memories of how you got them, takes eternity. _

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Two – Life 

Harry tossed and turned in his once again, fretful sleep. He was dreaming, but they weren't dreams they were memories of the nightmare that had become his life. Harry abruptly sat up, clutching at his chest with both hands, memories flooding his senses as he clenched his teeth in pain that was remnant of his nearly fatal injuries. His swift beating heart slowly began to calm as he took in deep breaths, and forced the memories away and blocked out the lingering pain that would most likely be with him for the rest of his life. Harry shook his head to clear it and his unruly as ever, raven hair, cascaded over his shoulders and down his back in waves. He let it shroud his face in shadow as sweat still soaked his skin, and he didn't want _him_ to see the pain that etched his face or the disgust with himself.

"Dreaming again?" a cold voice came from the corner of the darkened room, always from the darkness.

Harry looked through the length of his raven hair at the person, if you could call him that, sitting in the shadows of the cottage. Harry had met the human-like creature several weeks ago, before he had enough strength to get out of bed. The Carpathian had nearly killed him; would have if Nemaek hadn't stopped him. At first, Harry feared him, as that is what Carpathians did. They instilled fear into your very soul. But as his strength returned and his body healed, Harry's fear turned into amusement. A creature so dark being the leader of so many creatures that were light.

Harry tossed his hair out of his face and stared directly into the creature's crystal blue eyes. "Watching me again, Riemann? Don't you find that just a little disturbing?" Harry scoffed.

"You are too much like your father," Riemann, Mann, as everyone else called him, spat. "What was your dream about this time, young Potter? The day you joined the Dark Lord; or the moment you killed for the first time, perhaps?"

"Death," Harry said shortly, with a bit of irritation in his voice as he threw aside his blankets and got out of bed. His muscles ached and he forced himself not to stretch them out. He hated showing Mann weakness.

The revelation that his father had been found by these creatures as well, after his so-called death, was nothing to the ridicule that he had to face by Aska and Mann, and on occasion even the elf sisters, Alara and Evine. Apparently, his father had not been the nicest or most welcome guest. Harry paced the room once in an agitated state, before he turned back to Mann with a smoldering fire in his eyes.

"My death," he spit the word, knowing what Mann's reaction was going to be.

Mann stood from his chair and walked over to him gracefully. He looked down at Harry, he was a good foot taller. "You have to learn to let go and accept it," there it was again, Mann's great wisdom.

"You have no idea!" Harry whispered harshly, his temper coming to the surface, as he turned away. "I should be dead. I died that day on the cliff, I felt it and it scared the Hell out of me!" It was true, he had died. His heart had stopped as he had fallen from the cliff but the impact into the freezing water below had somehow restarted his heart. He would have called it a miracle had he been any other person, but to him it was simply ironic.

"Yes, but you still have to learn to let go and move on, what's done is done," Mann said quietly. "Now go, Aska is waiting, your lesson with him should have begun an hour ago."

Harry rolled his eyes as he grabbed a white shirt from the chair beside his bed and pulled it on with out looking at his chest. He'd seen the blue spidery vanes, which ran across and down from the center of his chest, many times as he recovered. They were just another scar that he would probably bare for the rest of his life. "Aska can wait, I still have to take my potions," Harry said with a grimace. The many potions he had to take were not the best tasting.

"I would advise not tarrying too long, he's in a temper today," a female voice came from the door.

Harry turned to look at the centaur and smiled, besides Nemaek, Mata had been one of the few to not judge him by his father's actions or his passed actions. "When is he not?" Harry asked and even Mann had a hard time keeping the smirk from his face.

Mata held out a pouch to Harry and he took it. "Murk wanted me to give you your potions, he says that after today you don't have to take them anymore, just the one to combat the…"

"Unicorns blood, I know," Harry sneered. He'd have to take that one every week for the rest of his life. Apparently the Unicorns blood from the Vampirism Potion that he had taken so long ago, was still in his blood stream, and because of his injuries it was now life threatening. The potion he took was pretty much a stopper to death. It was just another price that he had to pay for his actions.

Harry reached into the pouch and pulled out five potions, downing them quickly in a memorized order. Mata winced as he took the last, his stopper to death. He threw the vial aside and seethed as a stinging sensation ran briefly through every cell in his body. Harry shook it off with a shudder and threw the pouch back to Mata and then he staggered passed her out of the hut that had been his home for the last two months.

Mata watched him go. "Do you have to be so mean to him?" she whispered to Mann.

Harry heard and smirked. "He's not being mean, Mata, he's being honest," Harry said over his shoulder and continued to walk towards the center of the grove. He had been training in swordplay, of all things, with Aska, not that Harry thought that he was learning much. He always came away with more bruises then he had started with, but it was something to do.

Harry couldn't even summon a quill without being overwhelmed with extreme pain, but at least he knew that he still had his magic. After he had woken up, it was more then a week before he could even make a spark come out of his wand, which Evine had remarkably found on the embankment that Mata had found him.

Harry suppressed a chuckle at the look Aska gave him as Aska threw a sword at him. Harry caught it without even flinching. Aska hadn't tossed it. He'd thrown it blade first and Harry had caught it by the hilt and rolled it around his hand in a fluid motion. He was good at fancy tricks with the sword, but that didn't stand up to Aska's skill by any means.

"On your guard," Aska sneered and raised his broadsword above his head.

"Constant Vigilance," Harry whispered with a chuckle as he rolled his eyes and made the first move for the heck of it. Aska had Harry flat on his back in less then three moves.

"You haven't been practicing," Aska spit and kicked dirt in Harry's face, laughing as he turned his back on Harry.

Harry being used to this, spit the dirt out of his mouth as he rolled over and pushed himself up. "Yeah, thanks for the hand up," Harry mumbled with sarcasm as he again moved to attack, this time to Aska's back. He was swordless in two moves. He knew he would be.

"What did I tell you?"

"Never attack first, unless you know your opponent's every move," Harry said as Aska removed both blades from his throat.

"He can be taught," Aska laughed without humor as he tossed Harry back his sword. "Done playing?"

Harry nodded.

"Good, on guard."

Harry raised his sword, he was thinking about giving up for the day before he walked away with another bruise, but some spark wouldn't let him give up to Aska. Harry stared his teacher in the eyes and then he saw the slight twitch and he focused out onto the rest of the man before him. Aska was moving, but barely, his muscles were tensing. Harry tensed the same muscles and then he made his move at the same time as Aska. He saw several moves ahead, before his sword had started to slice through the air.

Aska easily parried, but Harry attacked again and again, each time his attack was thwarted. Harry traded several more blows with the man before his feet were knocked out from underneath him and he found himself on his back, again. But this time there was a hand held out to help him up.

"Well done, enough for today, you're bleeding." Harry clasped Aska's hand and got to his feet before he looked down at his chest. Blood was dotted over his shirt. "Best go see Murk," Aska said calmly.

Harry nodded and tossed his sword to Aska. "Yeah, looks like I over did it again," he mumbled.

"Harry."

Harry looked back at the wizard.

"Recovering from mortal wounds takes time."

"But recovering from the memories of how I got them, will take eternity."

Aska smirked and nodded. They may not like each other, down right loathed each other really, but they understood one another. They were not so different, they had both made bad choices and both been told to get over their deaths by Mann, the meddlesome Carpathian.

Harry found himself, several days later, with bandages still wrapped around his torso and a hand written book in his hand as he stirred the potion in font of him counter clockwise. Murk was teaching him how to make the potion that held back the Unicorn's blood in his body. It didn't have a name as Murk had invented it. Harry named it Stopper of Death, but he couldn't really call it that because it would more then likely kill anyone else that tried it. It was only after Harry had taken it for the first time that Murk had let slip that it had a 50 percent chance of killing him. Harry had remembered not to thank the little man.

"Harry," Mata's voice came from behind him.

Harry didn't look up, "Hmm," was all he said to acknowledge her.

"Mann was wondering if you were up to testing your…"

"No," Harry said adamantly and in a tone of voice that brought all discussion to the matter closed.

"Okay, I'll tell him, but it's been over two weeks and your magic may be…"

"No," Harry repeated firmly. There were more reasons then just one, of why he wasn't going to test his magic again, and none of them had anything to do with the pain he had felt the last time. He wasn't ready and he couldn't tell them about his fears.

Harry continued another hour until he got the potion perfected, and memorized how to repeat it every time. He didn't want to have to rely on Murk to make the potion for him like Remus had done with Snape and the Wolves Bane. Harry had to think realistically, although he liked it most of the time in the grove, he couldn't stay forever.

Harry corked several vials and placed them in a small wooden box, he had enough for the next month before he'd have to make more. The potion didn't keep for more then a month anyways.

Harry sighed as he heard footsteps behind him. "I said no, Riemann," Harry said as he placed the lid on the top of the box and turned around.

"What are you scared of Harry?"

Harry looked away from Mann, what had he told Tom, Harry closed his eyes and shook his head against the memory that assaulted him.

…_"__What are you afraid of Harry?" _

_"Not you." _

_"Obviously you are not afraid of me, and it's odd, I don't think you ever have been. I will tell you what you are afraid of, though. Darkness, Harry, darkness that brings danger to your world, and those you care about within it." _

_"No, Tom. I was afraid, but I'm not afraid anymore! I'm not afraid of the darkness that lurks outside of our world, I'm afraid of the darkness that lurks from within; but that darkness is no longer there, and it will never control me again."_…

"Nothing," Harry answered as he turned back to clean up his work area.

"Ah, you said it yourself; your death scares you."

"No Mann, it…"

"But it's not that either, it is not the fact that you died that scares you," Mann said calmly, softly. "It's the fact that he lived."

Harry suddenly turned on Mann and threw a ball of blue fire at him. Mann sidestepped in a fluid motion and the flames exploded on the wall, disappearing immediately, but leaving a scorch mark. "Say that again Riemann, and I'll kill you without even thinking!" Harry growled with hatred in his voice and power in his eyes. "Tom Riddle is not alive!"

Mann shook his head. "I see your magic has returned," he breathed quietly, calmly. "You lied. You lied to Aska all those weeks ago. You're lying still, to yourself. Stop lying and face the fact the Tom Riddle is still alive in you!" Mann said with anger in his voice and power reverberated through the air.

Harry shuddered at the very core of his being and took a step back away from the creature. He was afraid and he was smart enough to admit it, but Mann wasn't what had him shivering and terrified. It was the darkness that gripped at him, the darkness that he knew was there, but didn't want to admit.

Harry clenched his teeth and closed his eyes as if he was in pain, but it wasn't physical pain, it was emotional. He had created something truly terrible inside of himself when he had taken Voldemort's magic. Mann was wrong, Tom Riddle didn't live inside him; it was something much worse.

"No," Harry said quietly as he relaxed his muscles and opened his eyes. "Tom Riddle is truly dead, it is his darkness that binds with mine that has me so scared."

"You are afraid that you are turning dark again, aren't you Harry?" Mann asked, his voice back to it's calm almost silky tone. Harry hated that tone, he hated that Mann had such control over his emotions, but he knew that the creature before him hated that he didn't feel the way everyone else did. Every show of his emotion was forced, the Carpathian had lost the ability to feel anything years ago when he had become the monster he believed himself to be.

Harry staggered back and sat down on the cot in Murk's small infirmary. He put his head in his hands, which were now shaking. "I'm on the edge of a knife, Riemann," he whispered. Harry looked up to the light haired, dark creature. "There is a vast darkness inside of me, a power that calls my name and wants me to embrace it. All I have to do is lean to one side, take hold of it, and…"

"You will destroy everything. It's not just what is good and bad anymore, is it, Harry?" Riemann whispered as he put his hand on Harry's shoulder and Harry flinched at the biting coldness. "It wants to destroy."

"Everything," Harry whispered with conviction.

Mann lifted his hand off Harry's shoulder and paced the room for a moment in silence. "You must leave," Mann said before turning back to Harry. "You are becoming a danger to us," Mann stated as he turned to leave.

"I know," Harry said quietly.

He had been hiding this from them for the last two weeks. Before his magic had fully returned to him, before he had the strength to walk around for more then just a couple of hours, he had been confident that he was safe, that they were safe from him. But now, Harry was worried, he was stronger and apparently, pain no longer came to him when he did magic. He liked it in the grove, he felt at home here. Harry may have been the only wizard among them… well besides Aska. Harry hadn't really figured him out yet, just that Aska hated his father more then Severus Snape did, and therefore loathed him as well. But besides Aska and on occasion Mann, and the elf sisters, Harry had been welcomed by all. Yes, it was time for him to leave, he didn't want these creatures, these people, hurt because of him.

"Your strength has not fully returned yet," Mann stated. "Therefore I will send Aska with you until you get to your people, I..."

Harry stifled a laugh by turning it into a cough. "Are you mad? Aska would sooner kill me then be my escort, especially when he finds out that I am traveling to where my father is."

"Let me finish," Mann said with a slight smirk. "I will also send with you Nemaek, he has longed to get out of the grove and this will be a perfect opportunity. Besides the two of them still have much to teach you, young Potter."

Harry scoffed and scowled at that, Aska was too much like Snape for him to learn anything useful from, except for how to get bruises, and Nemaek, well the only thing Harry could think of that he could learn from him, was how not to get stuck in a magical animagus form. Harry liked Nemaek, but really one could learn a lot of what not to do from him.

"Scowls don't become you, Mr. Potter," Mann said before he left the cottage.

Harry had a brief flash back from the last time he had heard that. Luminous had said it the day he had told Harry about the diaries. It was then that it had really sunk in for him, why now, when he had been here for so long? He was dead to everyone, the world, all of his friends, Dumbledore, Luminous, all of them thought that he was dead. Hermione, Ron, Ginny… Harry paled at the pain that they all must be suffering. Harry closed his eyes and let out a low sigh. He wanted desperately to return to them, but he couldn't, not yet.

"Finally dawned on you, didn't it?" A voice said from the window beside Harry and he snapped his head around to look at the source, did he always have to read his mind like an open book?

"Hello Nemaek," Harry whispered. Harry was now used to the strangeness of a bird talking to him, but he still wasn't used to seeing a phoenix with black and silver feathers. "Mann is finally kicking me out."

"I know he told me, he's telling Aska now. So you will be returning to your people; to Hogwarts?" Nemaek asked.

"No, none of them can know I'm alive yet. It's too dangerous…"

"For you, or for them?" Nemaek asked.

"Both I suppose. I was sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss before I left, I don't know if they'll welcome me back," Harry replied bitterly. "I'm going to my father, he managed to beat his darkness, I'm hoping he can help me beat mine," Harry sighed.

"Then you will return to Hogwarts?" Nemaek asked, he really was persistent.

"Maybe, but I have to find myself first."

"Well, gather your things, knowing Aska, he's going to want to leave as soon as possible to get this over with," Nemaek said in a happy tone and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. That was another thing about Nemaek, he couldn't create fire, just smoke and Harry had to wonder what type of phoenix he had tried to turn himself into.

Several hours later, Harry, dressed in a white shirt and black pants and a loose set of grey robes, gathered his meager belongings together. The only thing he really owned was his wand, everything else had been given to him over the last couple of months from various people, who he had met and made friends with, in the grove.

Harry was just pulling out his last belonging from under the bed, when Aska barged in. "Let's go, the sooner we get to Germany the sooner I can come back here… Is that your father's sword? I hadn't thought Mann had given that to you."

Harry held the sheathed sword in both hands. Emerald green jewels encrusted the sheath and reflected in Harry's eyes. Harry could feel the power of the blade even through it's casing. It wasn't his father's sword, though his father had once owned it, it was Salazar Slytherin's sword. "He thought I should have it," Harry whispered evasively. "But now I'm not so sure." Harry turned around to face Aska and held out the sword.

"What?"

"Take it, keep it from me until we reach my father. I don't trust myself," Harry said as he placed the sword in Aska's hands.

"You don't have your father's darkness in you," Aska said honestly. "And you don't know how to use it."

Aska didn't understand, he didn't know what it was. "Perhaps not, but I still have a darkness much worse, I think it knows how to use it, it wants to use it," Harry said looking away from the weapon.

Aska gripped the sword and looked at Harry uncertainly for a few minutes before he nodded and strapped the sword next to his own. "Okay."

Harry closed his bag and tossed it over his shoulder. "Alright, lets go," Harry said as he pushed past Aska and left the hut that had been his home for the last couple of months. Several people appeared as he and Aska approached the gates of the invisible wall of wards that surrounded the grove. Mata, Alara, Evine, and others; including Mann and Murk, who Harry had spent the majority of his time with, greeted him pleasantly; Mata practically threw her arms around him.

"I hope you come back someday Harry, I believe that it is written in the starts that we will see each other again," Mata smiled.

"You're star gazing?" Harry laughed.

"Well no, but it could be," Mata giggled, she really was the best centaur Harry had ever met, and the prettiest. She patted Harry on the shoulder almost mothering like, "Now don't travel in populated areas and remember to eat…"

"I'm sorry Mata, I haven't had a mother in a long time and don't really need one now, but I will remember to eat. If I can scavenge what's left after Nemaek eats it all," Harry rolled his eyes and smiled which made even Aska crack a smile.

"Speaking of feather brains aren't you forgetting someone?" Murk said as he approached.

"You're right," Harry said as he held up his arm. "Talon," Harry called loudly and a black horned owl shot out of the trees and landed gracefully on Harry's arm. For what ever reason the owl had attached himself to Harry the first day, he was able to venture around the grove. Talon, as Murk had named him for the Talon he had ended up with in his arm several weeks ago, was rarely seen far from Harry. He didn't have the same connection that he had with Hedwig, but it was a new connection and he just hoped that they would eventually get along, that was if Harry ever went back.

Talon took off and soared out in front of them as Harry, Nemaek, and Aska set out on a journey that would have the three of them at each other's throats within hours of being in each other's company. Really, what was Riemann thinking.

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A/N: Finally another chapter and more to come, I promise:)


	4. Here we go a Wandering

_"I cannot return to my family, Potter. It is impossible. So forgive me if I show a dislike for people who blatantly turn there backs on their loved ones."_

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Three – Here we go a Wandering 

Hermione Granger stormed down the halls of Hogwarts. It was the last day before the end of term and she had been doing the same thing that day that she had been doing since the death of her best friend. Searching for a way to find him, for she was certain that he was still alive. At first, she had resolved herself to Harry's death, but as the weeks passed and still a body had not been recovered, she had regarded Gringotts' confirmation as false. She just knew that he was alive somewhere and the dream she had about him, which she had yet to tell anyone about, just reaffirmed her resolve to finding him.

A thick book rested under her arm as she neared the stairs that lead to the Owlery. Ronald Weasley followed close at her heals. He grabbed her arm, finally forcing her to stop and turn and look at him.

"Hermione, you have to stop this. He's gone and nothing is going to bring him back," Ron said with an overly harsh voice. He was angry, he had been angry a lot lately.

Hermione retched her arm out of his grasp. "He's not dead, Ron, they never found his body! I know he's alive, somewhere…" She had protested this before, and each time her protests had gotten weaker, this time it was barely above a whisper. She put a forced smile on her face, it was fake and stubborn tears came to her eyes. "I found a spell to find him Ron. I can use Hedwig again to locate him. It'll work this time, I know it will."

"No, Hermione. It won't. Gringotts confirmed his death. They are never wrong." Ron took the book from Hermione and threw it to the floor. "You have to stop this! It's not doing any good for any of us." Hermione reached down to retrieve her book but Ron grabbed her arms forcing her to look up at him again. "For Merlin's sake Hermione! You saw him die! Can't that be enough for you!" he shouted and his voice rang off the walls. Tears glistened his own eyes.

Tears slid freely down Hermione's cheeks as she started to sob and fell against Ron's chest. "He can't… I don't want… Why, why did he have to die?" Hermione wasn't fully accepting it, but she couldn't deny that it had been two months and she had yet to find him.

"I don't know Hermione. I just don't know," Ron whispered as he held her against him.

They stayed like that for a long time until they heard the sullen voice of Professor McGonagall. "I'm sorry to interrupt. It is my wish that you attend the farewell feast tonight. Albus had hoped that you would like to say a few words about Mr. Potter tonight. Help relieve the minds of your fellow classmates about Harry's involvement with the Dark Lord."

"Exactly how do you expect us to do that Professor? Why are we expected to cover up Harry's involvements with V-Voldemort? Everything they've been accusing Harry of in the Prophet is true. How are we supposed to cover up truth?" Ron asked angrily, still holding Hermione.

"I'll say something," Hermione said quietly and Ron looked down at her questioningly. "I'll tell them that he was our friend and everything he did was to protect us."

"Very good, I will see you two at the feast then. Miss Granger, I believe you dropped your book, please do remember to return that to the library before you leave tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Professor," Hermione replied as she retrieved her forgotten book from the floor. She waited until McGonagall had left the hallway before she started for the Owlery again. She stopped and turned back to Ron. "This is my last try, if it doesn't work I'll stop, I swear. I know you don't believe me, but I just know he's alive."

Ron looked about to protest but then let out a heavy sigh. "Alright," he relented. "But don't get too disappointed when it doesn't."

"It'll work, we'll know by tomorrow morning if it doesn't," Hermione whispered as she turned back and headed for the Owlery again, with Ron right behind her.

Hedwig sat alone on one of the highest rafters. She flew down immediately as she saw Hermione and Ron enter. "Hello Hedwig," Hermione said as the owl landed on her arm. Hermione pulled out her wand and tapped Hedwig with it. "Per vicis et tractus locus extremus," Hermione whispered the spell and Hedwig glowed turquoise for a moment. She tied a well-used letter onto the owl's leg. "Find Harry Hedwig, find Harry," Hermione repeated as Hedwig flew away out one of the windows.

Ron watched the owl go with a slight tinge of hope. He had been sure Hermione was wrong, but now he had doubts. Hedwig had only left the Owlery once before in any of Hermione's attempts, and he'd never seen the owl so excited to leave.

Hermione watched the owl go and then she turned back to Ron. "Come on, I still have some packing to do before the feast."

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The sun was just setting as Harry pulled his hood closer over his face as he and Aska weaved in and out of the crowded wizarding station at Dover. He would have preferred to stay as far away from Wizarding society as possible, but once they had reached the road Aska had called the Knight Bus before Harry had a chance to object. Harry had wanted to stick to Muggle transportation, but Aska insisted on wizarding. There was no doubt in Harry's mind that Aska was in a great hurry to be rid of him.

Wizarding transportation out of the country was impossible to come by, as Aurors had set up checkpoints as soon as Voldemort and his Death Eaters had gone missing. Everyone leaving the country was being searched and they needed identification, which Harry and Aska had none as they were both deceased.

Point one for Harry, they were going the Muggle way. Obtaining Muggle tickets out of England would have proven relatively easy, however, there was the fact that neither of them had any muggle currency, and getting into France was going to be difficult. Harry hadn't come up with a solution as of yet, and Aska's suggestions were just getting annoying. At one point, Nemaek had offered to fly them all across the English Channel, but Aska and Harry agreed; the first thing that they had agreed upon since leaving the grove; they were sure that they would end up in the ocean. Not to mention that Nemaek had never proven that he could, in fact, lift that much wait. So of course, Aska just grumbled about incompetent teens not knowing how to Apparate, that was until Nemaek pointed out that Aska himself, in his infinite wisdom, had never actually Apparated across such a large body of water before, not to mention, none of them knew where they were going precisely.

Harry sat down on a bench in the station and Aska followed. "I can't believe how impossible it is to get out of the bloody country," Harry grumbled as Nemaek poked his head out from under Aska's robes. "How did my father do it?"

"It was probably easy for him, he was alone," Aska sneered. "And he hadn't just forced the Dark Lord into hiding, everyone thought that you had killed him."

"You don't suppose we could stow away on one of those boats over there?" Nemaek interrupted another would be argument, in a low voice, as he motioned to the muggle ferry terminal and the ferry's beyond it, that weren't that far away, mere yards once they passed through the barrier that separated the Wizarding part of the terminal from the Muggles.

"I'd say brilliant idea bird brains except if we were caught, I think we'd all have a hard time trying to explain what you are, and what he's doing alive. Not to mention me, where I have no muggle or wizarding records at all…" Aska let his rant fall off as he got a manic gleam in his eye that Harry always associated with right before Aska was about to sweep his feet out from underneath him.

"I'm not going to like this am I?" Harry whispered as Aska got to his feet in a fluid motion.

"Follow and do not get in the way, Potter. Let me do all the cursing."

"Cursing, Aska, exactly what…" Harry stopped mid sentence as Aska pulled out his wand and started swiftly towards the muggle side of the terminal. Harry stopped himself from cursing the man as one of the terminal attendants in charge of tickets was place under the Imperious Curse. Harry looked around to make sure that no one had spotted him. It was official, Aska was completely insane; he was using an Unforgivable in the middle of broad day light, in the midst of Wizards and Muggles. "Well at least he didn't kill him," Harry murmured as he shook his head. Why he wasn't surprised by Aska's actions, Harry had no idea. Perhaps it was because the man reminding him so much of Snape. No, that was wrong, he was worse then Snape.

Harry walked slowly up behind Aska as he turned almost jovially to him. "This man has been so kind as to grant us passage on that ferry over there. Isn't that wonderful, two free tickets just for us and our feather brains," Aska said with mock joy that was very disturbing to see on the man's face. The muggle attendant just smiled and blinked in a stupid fashion.

Harry shook his head and walked away. "Whatever, but if you get us caught for using an Unforgivable, you're the first I'm throwing at the Aurors," Harry mumbled under his breath, as he walked towards the ferry Aska had pointed to. Aska was on his heals seconds later. A year ago and Harry would have been appalled by Aska's action, but he was at the point of not caring anymore. Besides, for him to be using even a small amount of magic at the moment was tiring. It wouldn't do for him to strain himself again.

"That's not really positive thinking now is it. I bet your father would be horrified that you hadn't come up with the idea yourself," Aska sneered.

"Shut it, Aska," Harry said angrily and suppressed his desire to hex the man into the next century as he grabbed his ticket and started forward onto the ferry platform. Harry had to give the man credit, not that he'd admit it, it was an ingenious idea. They'd simply use the curse again when they got to France.

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The farewell feast was a normal yet somber event for Hogwarts. Slytherin had won both the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup. Many were looking forward to going home to their families, but several were afraid to. Harry had instilled a sense of fear into the hearts of the junior Death Eaters and the children that came from Death Eater families. Hermione could see it in their eyes as Dumbledore gave his farewell speech for another year.

She sat next to Ron, and Ginny sat across from them next to Neville. Ginny had a strangely, eager look on her face and Hermione noticed that she kept shooting glances her way. Hermione had just given her speech about Harry. She hadn't lied. Many people were seeing the Boy Who Lived in a different light these days and her words had touched many. Surprisingly many had applauded her in the end and many more applause could be heard for Harry, even the Slytherins joined in.

Hermione had enough of Ginny's glances by the time the food appeared and she finally asked what she wanted. "Is there something I can do for you Ginny?"

"No," Ginny said suddenly as she looked away. Hermione was just looking down at her plate when Ginny spoke again. "Hermione, you aren't by any chance going to visit your aunt in Germany this summer are you?"

"I…" Hermione looked to Ron, she had received a letter a week ago from her parents asking if she wanted to go back to Germany again this summer. After hearing about Harry's death, her parents had been fully prepared to pull her out of Hogwarts, but Hermione refused their pleas for her to come home and they relented. They wanted her to stay with her aunt in Germany for the summer so that she would be away from the Wizarding World for at least a short while. She hadn't replied yet. "I don't know. Mum and Dad want me to but I haven't given them an answer yet."

"I think you should."

"Ginny!" Ron exclaimed. "It's Hermione's decision and you know very well that Mum said that she could stay at the Burrow if she wanted."

"I know, I'm sorry Hermione, it's not that I don't want you at the Burrow, it's just that I think it would do you some good to be with family, and…" Ginny bit her lower lip as she looked away nervously.

"What?" Hermione asked, she was starting to worry about the girl, she was acting awfully odd.

"I want to go with you. I want to get away from the Burrow for a while and I know Mum will never let me go off on my own but she would let me go with you."

"Oh, well I'm not going right away if I do go. Mum and Dad want me home for a couple of weeks at least."

"That's all right, I can wait," Ginny said excitedly and Ron looked at his sister as if she'd grown another head.

"I guess if you don't mind staying with a Muggle we can go if you want. I don't think that we'll have too much fun there though, the only thing that's of any interest is the city," Hermione said and nearly laughed at the smile that brightened Ginny's face. She hadn't seen her so delighted since before Harry had died.

"Excellent, I'll tell Mum when we get home and we can make plans from there!"

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_Emerald jewels glimmered in the firelight of the burning castle behind him. Blood glistened but dulled the blade of the most powerful weapon in wizarding history. There was only one blade that had stopped it in the past and it was being wielded in much the same way by the right had of the man that stared down at the lifeless hazel eyes of one of Harry Potter's closest friends. Beside her, a gangly red head lay and in front of them stood the last person left alive in the wake of the fall of Hogwarts. _

_"Please," the female voice was shaky but not from fear, but exhaustion. "Please, you've destroyed everything, release him, he is of no use anymore. Let Harry go." _

_Scarred hands gripped tightly the two sibling swords of Slytherin and Gryffindor and raised the blades to the red head's throat. Each blade pulsed with power as did the green eyes of the man that wielded them. "Perhaps you are right Ginevra, but do I want to be released?" _

_Ginny sank to her knees, all hope lost in her as she accepted her fate and the fate of the world, at that statement. It only took a single stroke and the girl was dead, but as she fell, her tear glistening eyes reflected his image and a defiant, anguished roar deafened his ears that came from his own throat._

Harry nearly fell out of his seat that he had fallen asleep in, as Aska smacked him up side the head, affectively waking him up from his nightmare. He looked around him to see that no one took notice of him or Aska so it was safe to assume that he hadn't screamed out himself.

"Hey." Aska sat down beside him as he unfolded what he had hit Harry with. They were still on the ferry and Harry looked at his traveling companion in annoyance, though behind his annoyed glare, he was grateful to be woken up from, what he hoped, would not be him in the future. "Look what I found, thought you might get a kick out of it. I know I have," Aska mocked, holding up a copy of the Prophet, which had Harry's photo plastered on the front page, as per usual.

_"Harry Potter, was once thought to be our last hope against the Dark forces of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. But as a nation wide hunt continues for the allusive ex-dark lord, it is bringing into light that You-Know-Who, was not as all-powerful as he was perceived to be. Harry Potter fell at the hands of the afore mentioned ex-dark lord in a display that laid to rest all doubt that the Ministry of Magic had that Potter was working for the very man that killed him. But was Harry Potter completely innocent? _

_"Many reports have gone out that Potter himself possessed You-Know-Who's mark, and that many saw it the day before Potter was killed. This cannot be verified however, as Harry Potter's body was never found. Although the heroic efforts of Harry Potter lead to his tragic death, he has given the wizarding world hope and peace at last. Whatever it was that Harry Potter attempted to do that day, stripped You-Know-Who of all his magic, which leads to the question of Potter's guilt again, if he was innocent of his crimes, then how did he come to be with an object that had once thought to have been destroyed many years ago? The Castitas Magus Project…"_

"I don't know if they can make up their minds on whether or not to praise you and morn you, or wish you were burning in hell," Aska laughed quietly as Harry grabbed the paper away and crumpled in into a ball. "I was reading that…"

"It's rubbish, everything they say is crap. Find something more enlightening to read," Harry grumbled as he tossed the crumpled up wizarding newspaper back to Aska.

Aska shrugged and tossed the paper over his shoulder, obviously not caring if any muggles picked it up. Thought you'd get just a little amusement for it, but…" Harry rolled his eyes and scowled. "Anyways, another minute and we'll be docking. Let's go barter our way into France shall we?"

Though Harry still wasn't pleased with their methods of getting into France, he was almost giddy. He'd never been to the continent before and he was actually looking forward to it, even though they had to stay out of over populated areas. Harry stretched and got to his feet as he felt the boat's engines pulling into reverse, they were docking.

"Think feather brains and Talon had fun sitting topside?" Aska smirked and Harry hoped Talon and Nemaek had the sense to peck Aska's eyes out for making them sit on top of the boat the whole trip.

Harry follow Aska to the unloading deck. A long line of impatient passengers were waiting to get off the boat. It seemed awfully strange that it was taking so long and several Muggles were complaining.

"Wait here, I'm going to go see what the hold up is," Aska said as he disappeared into the crowd before Harry could stop him.

Harry tightened his cloak around him and leaned against the wall with his head down as he waited. Several Muggles were huddled in a group nearby. Harry suddenly shot his head up when he recognized something one of them was saying. He inched closer so that he could hear them.

"What is it you say?" one of the Muggles asked, a portly man with a long face.

"I said, the reason for the hold up is that two convicts were spotted in the Dover ferry terminal. Crabbe and Goyle are their names. Apparently they managed to slip passed the police and onto one of the ferries, they're checking everyone," another Muggle, a female with blond hair explained.

"Looks like I'm not going to be making my bus then," the portly man grumbled before Aska returned startling Harry away from the conversation.

"Looks like we're going to have to find another way off the ferry, can you swim?" Aska asked as he pulled Harry away.

"Swim? A little, but I don't really fancy jumping into the freezing English Channel," Harry whispered non too politely.

"We may not have another choice. Couple of Death Eaters were spotted in Dover and someone noticed my Imperious Curse. They're checking everyone."

"Right, Crabbe and Goyle, I over heard," Harry added when Aska looked at him skeptically. "Maybe Nemaek can create a diversion and we can Disillusion ourselves and sneak by. That way we don't have to get wet."

"You don't think the French Aurors are going to notice a Disillusionment Charm?" Aska scoffed.

"I'm sure they will, that's what the diversions for," Harry smiled and headed for the stairs that lead to the top deck. He spotted Nemaek almost immediately but before he had a chance to wave him over, he noticed something in the distance coming towards him. It was only a white speck but he didn't need it to come closer to know what it was. "Hedwig?"

"Who?" asked Aska as he came to stand beside him.

"My owl, Hedwig," Harry stated as the snowy owl shot down from the sky and practically tackled Harry. Hedwig swatted him with her wings and clawed at him fairly viscously, before relenting and settling on his shoulder. Harry hesitantly reached up to pet the bird and she nipped at his fingers in an irritated manor.

Aska by now was practically on the floor, he was laughing so hard at Harry.

"Oh shut up!" He said, in exasperation, to Aska before looking back at Hedwig. "I'm really sorry Hedwig, I didn't mean to die. I promise I'll never do it again." Hedwig looked at him in an disgruntled manor before holding out her leg that held a worn letter. Harry ran his hand over Hedwig's feathers affectionately before he took the letter and opened it.

_Harry, _

_Come home. _

_Hermione _

It was the shortest letter Harry had ever received. He slipped his wand from inside of his cloak and folded the letter back up and resealed it. "I'm sorry Hermione, I can't go back yet," he whispered to himself as he retied the letter to Hedwig's leg. "Take this back to Hermione girl. Stay with her, someday I'll come back for you. I promise."

Hedwig looked at him with sad yellow eyes and hooted mournfully. She rubbed herself against his head affectionately before spreading her wings and soaring out into the open air, back towards England, Harry turning back to look at Aska as she disappeared.

"You just sent it back, with no explanation? You have the opportunity to return to people who love you, but you're just going to continue to let them believe you are dead? You're just like your father!" Aska spat harshly before turning away and motioning for Nemaek.

Harry looked at Aska's back in confusion. He was always telling him how liberating it was for everyone to not know he existed, so why was he angry that he had sent Hedwig back as if she had never found him? "I don't understand."

Aska didn't turn around as he spoke. "I cannot return to my family, Potter. It is impossible. So forgive me if I show a dislike for people who blatantly turn there backs on their loved ones."

Harry didn't know what to say. Aska had never been open about his past as the others had. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I am going back, just not yet. It's safer for both them and me to believe I'm dead."

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A/N: Ha! I bet you thought I'd never update. More to come soon, hopefully. :)


	5. Darkness is Only the Absence of Light

_Harry, Aska, and Nemaek travel into __Germany__ and Hermione's letter to Harry comes back. Harry has a scare from the darkness within. _

A/N: I own nothing; it's all Rowling's.

Chapter Four – Darkness is Only the Absence of Light 

Harry stared out the window of the moving bus. According to the Muggle driver, they would be arriving in Germany in two hours. Aska was sleeping in the seat beside him and Nemaek had chosen to follow them by air with Talon. Amazingly enough, Crabbe and Goyle senior had both actually caught the same ferry out of England that they had and had been caught getting off by the French Aurors. While the short firefight and subsequent obliviation of the Muggles had taken place, Harry and Aska had escaped unnoticed and hitched a ride with a tour bus going to Cologne, Germany.

_It was all luck_, Harry thought. They had been very lucky so far, but Harry was beginning to suspect that their luck wasn't going to last much longer. Harry and Aska had to show their faces to get on board the bus. While Aska didn't have to be concerned about showing his face, Harry was worried that someone would recognize him, even with the small amount of transfiguration he had done on himself using his metamorphic abilities. He hadn't been able to do more then lighten his hair a bit and make his eyes a lighter shade of green before he was too tired to do anymore. He just hoped that any Witch or Wizard in the area didn't see his scar or recognize his face. He supposed that it did help that everyone believed that he was dead, so they weren't looking for him.

Some swift bargaining had gotten them on the bus for free. According to Harry, they had gotten pick pocketed in London and they were meeting someone in Germany that day, and it had been '_horrible_' trying to get there. Harry had told the driver that they were backpackers on Holiday and they had spent the last of their money, that hadn't gotten stolen, to catch the ferry. The driver had bought Harry's sob story easily, and after some debate allowed them to ride to Cologne with the tour, as there was room on the bus.

The highway lights that the bus passed by were hypnotic, and after a while, Harry found himself nodding off to sleep. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He didn't want to fall asleep, as he didn't want to dream again, but he was really tired and the rhythmic moving of the bus was starting to get to him. He eventually did drift off into sleep, but the sleep was anything but restful.

_Harry stood with his back to a wall and his hand wrapped around a small child's wrist. The girl was no older then nine and she seemed awfully familiar. She was a muggleborn Witch and she looked up at him with trusting fear-filled eyes. Harry had seen the girl before, he had seen her die, he could never forget those pleading eyes. Harry pulled the girl closer to him and looked around an opening in a wall. It wasn't a door and Harry vaguely remembered the explosion that had created it, and he knew that they were in Hogwarts, but it wasn't like a Hogwarts that Harry could remember. _

_"Come out Potter, it is of no use hiding. There's no way out, no escape for the likes of us." Harry recognized that voice. He hated that voice. He had submitted himself to it once, but he had vowed never to again. It was the voice of darkness. It was the voice that silenced him every time he tried to beat back the power of the diary. _

_A screech alerted him to the creature behind him and he turned just in time to see the girl being dragged out of his grasp. There was nothing that he could do for her now. She was going to a better place… Harry looked upon the creature with fear as it reached out its hand to Harry. _

_Harry shook his head. "No…" Harry whispered uselessly as he tried to back away. _

_"Come, Harry," the dark creature's voice said softly. It was full of nothing but kindness. Harry couldn't help but be compelled, and he walked towards the black clad figure of death with acceptance. _

_"Not yet Potter, I'm not through with you. Come back to me." Harry stopped walking towards death; he was torn between the two fates. "That's it, don't fight it Potter, let it take control again," the whispering rasp seemed to come from within his own mind, yet at the same time, from all around him. He wanted to obey that voice, but at the same time, he wanted to destroy it, he wouldn't submit again. _

_Harry struggled against the wave of darkness that fought to consume him. "No. I can't let it, I won't!" Harry answered harshly to the low disembodied voice. His voice shook with anguish as he could feel the darkness seeping into his soul and he knew that there was nothing that he could do against it. He looked to death helplessly and death just looked back with sadness. "Help…" _

_"The darkness is apart of you and you are apart of it. Use it the way it wants to be used. Power, everything can be yours. Think about it, the world will tremble at your feet…" _

_"Darkness is only the absence of light," Death whispered sadly before disappearing. _

_A hated memory flashed through Harry's mind and he fell to his knees. "No!" _

_"…You have leave to kill him; this man has betrayed me for the last time…" _

_"Avada Kedavra!" _

Harry sat up with a start. Sweat soaked his hair, but Harry hardly noticed. He felt power flow through him like never before and he relished in it. It wasn't like the power of the diary; it was more compelling and intoxicating. Harry felt as if he was drunk on it and every part of his body tingled under the sensation. He wanted to sink into it. He wanted to drown in it.

_"It's all yours; all you have to do is embrace it. Remember what it feels like to embrace the darkness within you!"_

"Harry!" Harry was forced back to his senses by Aska and the slowing of the bus. "You alright kid?" asked Aska as Harry looked at him for several moments unblinkingly. "Come on, we're here," Aska said with a huff as he grabbed his and Harry's packs from the rack above them and shoved Harry's bag into his arms.

Harry took a deep breath and followed after Aska, though he wasn't entirely aware of his surroundings as he did. He was loosing to the darkness inside him; he could feel it. Harry subconsciously waved to the bus driver as he got off and followed Aska to what looked like a Muggle tourist information booth, which looked to be closed. It was dark and well towards midnight, but there were a few Muggle tourists still about, mostly those there to catch the train or bus.

"There's a Muggle camp ground here. We can camp there tonight and make our way to Heidelberg tomorrow; it's still a good… Are you listening to me?" Aska interrupted his sentence irritably, when he noticed Harry staring blankly across the street. "Potter!"

Harry snapped his head around at Aska's exclamation of his name. "What?" he asked with annoyance in his voice. Harry hadn't meant to sound so harsh, but he was worried, no, he was terrified. He needed to find his father, he was sure that he could help him, if he couldn't… Harry ran his hand through his hair, briefly exposing his scar as he did. He turned to look at Aska who was looking at a road map of Germany. He saw the hilt of Slytherin's blade poking out of the concealed sheath that hung on Aska's back. His thoughts drifted to his dream and a hardness came to his eyes. He'd kill himself to keep that from happening.

"Would you get you're head out of the clouds and pay attention. You are worse then Nemaek and he's a bloody bird at the moment," Aska grumbled as he folded up the map he had claimed from the rack outside of the dark information booth.

"My head wasn't in the clouds…" Harry whispered. "Are they staring at us?" Harry pointed to a group of Muggles that were point blank staring in their direction from the other side of the information booth.

"No you're paranoid, Potter, they're admiring your owl," Aska pointed nonchalantly to Talon on a nearby street lamp. Nemaek had been smart enough to not be seen with Talon.

Harry looked back at the Muggles with a sneer of dislike on his face. "Stupid Muggles, they always notice that which is unusual, but they still can't see the Wizarding World when it's right in front of them," Harry whispered with disdain laced in his voice. _They wouldn't even notice if I started shooting killing curses at them until they were all dead._ Harry shook his head, he couldn't believe what he was just thinking, and he visibly paled. So much so, that Aska took notice.

_'They should be dead; they are inferior to us, to you. You should kill them!'_

Harry stumbled from the sudden loud voice in his head and clasped his hand to his forehead.

"Harry?" There was genuine concern in Aska's voice but Harry was too busy fighting the wave of dizziness that began to overtake him. Harry fell and Aska just barely caught him.

"Aska, get me out of here," Harry managed to say weakly before a blinding pain irrupted from his scar and shot through his head and down his spine. Harry couldn't hold the scream that tore out of his lungs.

Aska reacted quickly and pulled out his wand and pointed it in the direction of the Muggles. "_Obliviate_!" he said with enough force to over take the small group of tourists. They all gained blank looks but Aska didn't stick around long enough to notice. "Hold on kid," he whispered as he grasped Harry around the shoulders and Apparated them out of the view of the Muggles. But Harry hadn't heard him as he had passed into unconsciousness.

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Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table the next morning staring at the ceiling, which looked like the morning sky. Ron had no doubt in his mind of what she was waiting for and even he had a speck of hope, even though he wouldn't let himself show it. Ron felt that the hall was eerily silent just before he heard the swish and flap of wings as the last post owls of the term came flying into the Great Hall. He instinctively looked up at the approaching birds as they fluttered by to students all around the hall. He saw that Hermione was looking for the familiar shade of white as well, but there wasn't any.

Ron looked back to his plate of half-eaten food with even less of an apatite then what he had. It was a full minute after all of the other owls cleared the hall and Ron was pushing his food absently around his plate when Hermione grabbed on to his forearm and he looked up to see Hedwig flying in with a letter in her talons. Many students looked up at the snowy owl, all knew whom she belonged to, and they watched as she landed on Hermione's shoulder and held out the letter.

Hermione took it with trembling hands. Ron recognized it as the original and his heart tore even more for the loss of his friend. Hermione opened it and looked down at her own handwriting blankly for a long time. She looked on the verge of tears before she suddenly looked up and down the length of the table. Ron noticed her brow nit in thought as she squinted around the hall. He was just about to ask her what she was looking for when she stood up abruptly, making Hedwig take flight and land on the table, and ran across to the Slytherin side.

Ron's mouth hung open when Hermione grabbed a powdered pastry from Crabbe's hand and shook the powder off on to the letter. She threw the pastry back at Crabbe as she walked back over to the Gryffindor table, shaking the letter off as she did. The entire hall watched her and Ron heard Malfoy mutter something about her having gone completely barmy. Ron was about to agree when Hermione stopped her walk and ran her wand over the parchment, muttering something under her breath.

There was a brief moment where it appeared that Hermione had stopped breathing before she let out a shriek and ran out of the Hall. Hedwig beside Ron took flight after her. Ron stared at the open Great Hall door, debating whether or not to go after his clearly mental friend, when she ran back in and up to the Head Table, straight for Dumbledore, who looked at her with a bit of concern. Hermione had tears in her eyes and Hedwig was still following her.

She slapped the letter down in front of the headmaster as the owl landed on the headmaster's chair and the entire hall heard her, even though her voice was shaking. "He's alive!"

Ron stood up. "What!" Dumbledore's words echoed Ron's, as did Snape's, and a faint Draco Malfoy's from the Slytherin table.

"He's alive, Professor, Harry's alive!" Hermione had a smile on her face that could rival Ron's when he had heard his father say that they were going to the Quidditch World cup.

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore stood up, a seriousness in his tone and no twinkle in his eyes. "There was confirmation from Gringotts, you yourself saw him fall…"

Hermione picked the letter back up. "Professor, I sent this letter with Hedwig. No one else has touched this letter but me, but there are other fingerprints on it, fingerprints that are not mine." She held up the letter, her spell showing the fingerprints in two different colors. "He's alive, he must have reasons for not writing back, but he's alive!" Hermione nearly shouted.

"That is impossible," Dumbledore said with a sigh. "Someone else must have touched the parchment..."

"No! No, it was Harry, I know it!" Hermione did shout then, her voice rising to near hysterics. "What if he's hurt and he couldn't write back, what if…"

"Miss Granger. I had not wanted to reveal this, but it seems I must. I had Harry's magic monitored. The day he died the monitoring device failed. It can no longer detect Harry's magic. I am truly sorry, but Harry Potter is dead," Dumbledore's words were grave and Hermione took a step back, shaking her head in denial.

"No," Hermione whispered insistently.

Ron had moved up beside Hermione when she had stated that Harry was alive and he looked at his friend mournfully. He had not let himself hope the way Hermione had, and he knew Dumbledore's words were like loosing Harry all over again.

"No!" Hermione cried, backing away further. "No! He's alive; I know it! He can't be dead, your device it malfunctioning! H-he can't be dead…"

Ron grabbed Hermione's arms so that she was facing him, tears streaming down her face. "We all wish you were right about this, Hermione, but you aren't."

Hermione fell against Ron and he held her as she cried. The hall was deathly silent as Ron dragged Hermione out of it and her sobs could be heard even after they had disappeared. Dumbledore quietly left the hall, as did Snape and McGonagall. Everyone was so busy staring after them in silence that no one took notice of Ginny who had taken the letter, the fingerprints still visible and left the hall herself. A glint was in her eyes that the Weasley family had come to realize as determination.

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Sunlight filtered through an opening in the small Muggle tent and splashed warmth over Harry's face. He groaned loudly but didn't sit up as his head was beyond pounding. He opened his eyes slowly and turned to the argument that was causing him to want to cut his own head off.

"Could the two of you stop arguing for a few minutes and please tell me why I feel like I was run over by herd of centaurs," Harry growled and Aska and Nemaek both jumped from the interruption. Harry would have laughed if his head didn't feel like it was going to explode… or did explode. It wasn't everyday that he got to startle Nemaek and Aska.

"Harry, what happened? You had us really worried," Nemaek asked and Harry and Aska glared at the charcoal phoenix.

"Nemaek, he wouldn't have asked us what happened if he knew. He obviously doesn't remember," Aska said with his usual disdain in his voice. "We got off the bus and we were looking at a map when you grabbed your head, screamed, and passed out. You're lucky I'm fair with mind charms. I had to Obliviate at least ten Muggles before Apparating us out of sight."

"Oh… now I remember," Harry groaned loudly and rolled over, putting his head in his hands. "This is not good, not good at all," he mumbled into his sleeve.

"What is not good, Harry?" Nemaek asked and Harry lifted his head to look at his companions.

"He's managed to get his magic back, or at least some of it," Harry sighed as he pushed himself up, with a grunt, into a sitting position.

Nemaek's eyes widened and Aska looked at Harry as if he had missed something. "Who?" he asked finally, when Harry didn't give him an answer.

"Voldemort," Harry said softly looking down at his hands. This was his fault. He had willingly given him the diary after all.

"How?" Nemaek softly asked.

"Slytherin's diary, probably the same way I gained the magic from it," Harry mumbled.

"How in Merlin's name did he get his hands on that?" Nemaek shouted. "I thought I destroyed that!" Both Aska and Harry's heads snapped around to look at the phoenix. "Did I just say that out loud?"

Harry raised his eyebrow as he looked at the phoenix, his headache completely forgotten. "Yes you did. Who are you?" Harry demanded. Aska looked at Nemaek much the same way, neither of them new Nemaek's full story. "And how do you know about Slytherin's Diary?"

Nemaek took a deep breath and let it out. "I am, or was, Nemaekien Slytherin, Salazar Slytherin's fourth son."

Harry couldn't help it, it was too funny and a chuckle escaped him, before he clapped his hands to his mouth to fruitlessly try and stop the laugh that came from him. Harry was practically on the floor laughing before Aska whacked him on the back of his head, bringing him under control.

"Exactly what is so funny about this?" Aska questioned sternly.

"I…" Harry began but laughed again. He took a deep breath and pretended to wipe tears out of his eyes. "I just can't believe…" Harry continued to laugh. "That a son of Slytherin got stuck in an animagus form." Harry broke down again, as Nemaek rolled his eyes and Aska's face started to turn red with annoyance at Harry's juvenile antics, though a small, easily hidden smile was starting to twinge at the corner of his mouth.

A

fter a few more minutes, Harry managed to get himself under control. He had to admit that it felt good to laugh again, he hadn't in so long, not a real laugh, it was almost foreign to him. 

"Felling better, Harry?" Nemaek asked. There was amusement in his voice and Harry was glad that there didn't seem to be any resentment towards him about laughing about his 'little problem,' as Aska always called it.

Harry smiled. "Sorry," he said a little sheepishly and then he sobered. "What do you mean that you thought you destroyed it?"

Nemaek looked back at Harry with knowledge in his eyes that Harry had only seen once or twice in his short time of knowing him. "Father's diary, it was an accident. Another accident of many that displeased my father to no end. 'Why couldn't I be like my brothers?' he used to ask me." Nemaek shrugged. "At least I had mother… I was fourteen when my mother passed away and father locked all of her possessions away in his laboratory, him being the only one with access. We figured, my brothers, sisters, and I, that he just wanted to be alone with what was left of her. I was practicing Apparating with my older sister Mira when I found myself in the locked room. Of course, curiosity got the better of me and I decided to look around. I found father's diary sitting on his desk and started to flip though it when I heard the door being unlocked. I panicked and in my haste to get hidden, and knocked over a candle. The fire spread quickly over the desk and the opened diary. My father was furious." Nemaek shook his head sadly. "I was so clumsy in my youth, if only I had learned to grow up sooner."

Harry could almost picture Salazar Slytherin's reaction and he felt sorry for the boy, who had once been Nemaek. A thought came to Harry's mind and he voiced it to Nemaek. "The diary, was it written in Parseltongue, more specifically, the spells."

Nemaek shook his head. "No, everything was in English. Why?"

"It must have been a copy. The one that possessed me had spells written in Parseltongue. It was how I was able to unlock it. It had been embedded inside the Heir's diary," Harry let out a long breath. "Salazar had hidden it inside of your mother's diary."

"That would explain why your father didn't want you and your siblings to enter his laboratory, he didn't want anyone to know what he was doing," Aska pointed out.

"My father died three months later, do you think he knew he was going to die?" Nemaek asked. "And that is why he merged the diaries, so that his family couldn't get a hold of his work."

Harry was silent for a short time, thinking. It didn't make sense for the two diaries to be merged. But it had been Salazar Slytherin to do it, but what was the point? Harry shook his head. "I don't know."

"Well, sitting here, we aren't getting any closer to Heidelberg. I'm not sure what happened back at the bus stop, but you look to be doing fine now, so can we get moving?" Aska inquired with a note of impatience in his voice. "We're only an hour, maybe hour and a half outside of Heidelberg, and I'd like to get this confrontation with your father over with."

Harry nodded. A glint was forming in his eyes. If anyone were to look, they would say that they were twinkling and that was just what they were doing. Finally, after sixteen years, Harry was going to meet his father.

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A/N: Finally got this chapter out. Sorry for the long wait. I've been super busy lately, but classes end in a couple of weeks and then I should be back on a normal writing schedule. :)


	6. I'm not a Seer!

_Harry has some trouble getting his father to see that he is alive, and he finds out some unsettling news about himself._

A/N: I own nothing; it's all Rowling's.

Chapter Five - "I'm not a Seer!"

Things don't always go the way one plans, as Harry Potter was quickly discovering as he dodged another quite deadly curse from the dark haired wizard in front of him. Had he realized how hard it would be to convince James Potter that they were not Death Eaters, Harry would not have just walked up to him. Apparently, his father could sense his dark mark, but didn't recognize his son. He'd already incapacitated Aska, which was quite a feet in itself, and Harry was trapped between a wall and his father with no chance of escape, it didn't help that he was tiring quickly.

"James stop this, we're not Death Eaters," Harry yelled again. He hadn't even had a chance to tell the man that he was his son yet. He was still trying to convince him that they didn't serve Voldemort. Harry rolled to the side to avoid a curse that sizzled the pavement. When he came up to his feet again, he could feel his shirt quickly soaking with blood. "Damn," he whispered.

"I have already sent a warning to your master. I don't know how you figured out who I am, but your death will be on his hands, not mine!" James shouted angrily.

That was it, this had to stop, he was going to get himself killed… again. This was going to hurt him more then his father, but it was the only way. Harry waved a hand over his head, calling on Merlin's magic, and a purple circle formed. James had stopped in his tracks at seeing the power Harry was wielding, and that was exactly why he was doing it. That and he lacked a wand at the moment. Harry released the circle and it disappeared only to reappear and wrap around James, forming dozens of tight ropes.

James ended up falling over in his struggle to get free and Harry slumped against one of the walls of the alley they were down, trying to catch his breath. Harry pointed his hand at Aska and released him from the spell that held him to the opposite wall; as well as releasing him from the silencing charm; James had also hit him with.

"You know, for a master duelist, you're lousy at spell casting," Harry grumbled to Aska as they walked up to his father, both snatching their wands from the ground as they moved toward him.

"Hey, you try going up against the heir of Merlin," Aska mumbled a complaint as a laugh came from above them. Harry just motioned to his father, nonchalantly, indicating that he just had, and won. "Oh, yeah and a lot of help you were Slytherin!" Aska shouted at the phoenix, hovering above the alley.

Harry ignored the two who were starting up yet another argument and knelt down beside his father, with a hidden wince of pain, and released his bonds. "Hello Dad," Harry smirked, at the shocked look on his father's face.

James looked at his son, his mouth opening and closing and shook his head. "You're alive."

"Yeah, I'm alive, thanks to Mata and Murk, and the rest at the grove," Harry told his father, who was pushing himself off the ground. Surprised was etched into James' face at the names that he obviously recognized. "I probably wouldn't be here if it weren't for them," Harry whispered, following his father with his eyes.

A hard look suddenly replaced James' surprise. "You're a Death Eater!" James spat, jumping to his feet and pointing his wand at Harry, anger radiating off of him.

Harry sighed, looked up to his father, and nodded. "I was." Harry wouldn't lie to him, even if it got him killed. "I went to the Dark Lord with the intention of taking the Dark Mark willingly. I thought I had control..." Harry said quietly, trying to remember why he'd come up with the plan in the first place. "I was wrong," Harry spat. "I was going to spy and find out his weaknesses. I lost control and became a loyal servant instead. I killed and tortured for that bastard. I betrayed everyone…" The entire time Harry's eyes never left his father's.

James stared down at his son. Nemaek and Aska's argument had ceased when James had declared Harry a Death Eater, and they were both staring at the two. James grabbed Harry's arm and shoved his sleeve back, revealing the mark. Jagged ugly scars still crisscrossed his arm, but never blemishing the mark.

James took in the mark with disgust evident in his eyes. "No son of mine is Death Eater!" he hissed angrily.

Harry flinched again as a wave of pain swept over him, but he ignored it again. He couldn't let his father believe that he was still a servant of Voldemort's, though he wasn't aware that James didn't believe that. "I'm not proud of it, and I nearly killed myself when I realized what I had become," Harry said sincerely. "Please," he pleaded. "Forgive me."

James dropped Harry's arm and looked back to Harry's eyes as he stood again. Harry didn't know what he was searching for in there, if it was darkness, he'd find it. Harry had an over abundance of that. "Please, tell me you kicked his ass at least."

Harry smirked slightly. "Up until last night, Voldemort's been powerless," he whispered. Again ignoring the increasing pain, he was now feeling from his chest.

James frowned down at him. "What happened last night?" he asked, just then registering Aska and Nemaek. Harry saw his recognition.

He glanced at his two companions. "Voldemort tried to get me to submit to the darkness again," he whispered.

"WHAT?" shouted Aska. "You didn't tell us that!"

"Are you sure?" Nemaek asked landing on Harry's shoulder, concern evident in his brownish gold eyes. The bird was very perceptive and Harry noticed that he was looking upon him not because of the darkness that had gripped him the night before, but because of the pain that was literally starting to waif of off him, only noticeable to those powerful enough to feel it.

Harry took a deep breath in and nodded. "Yeah, I felt it," Harry whispered in an almost strained voice, before he looked upon his father with pleading eyes, still ignoring the pain that was starting to show on his face. "I need your help, he nearly succeeded, and that can't happen," Harry said with desperation and determination clear in his voice.

James looked at his son deep in thought before his eyes suddenly widened, now feeling the pain Harry was in. "Harry you're bleeding!"

Harry took in another deep breath. "I'm fine," he stated. "Will you help me?" he asked again.

"Like Hell you are!" James nearly yelled as Harry tried to get to his feet, but was stopped by his father's hand on his shoulder. "You are as stubborn as your mother! Never knew when to admit she needed help!"

Nemaek gave Harry a piercing look and Aska swore as he rounded on him and saw the blood soaking though his shirt. "Damn it, Potter, you've overdone it again, and we don't have Murk here to patch you up."

Harry's face suddenly paled. "Oh no," he whispered, before he suddenly doubled over in pain, pain that had nothing to do with the blood that was coming from his old wound. Nemaek had taken flight as Harry collapsed and seemed to know what was wrong as he quickly vanished and reappeared moments later with a bag clasped in his talons.

"Aska, his potion, he needs it now," Nemaek said as he tossed the bag at the man, who had instantly caught on and pulled a small wooden box out of the bag. He opened it and stared at the assortment of potions.

"Harry, which one is it?" Aska asked urgently, sweeping his eyes over the vials, he was no potion's master and they all looked identical to him.

Harry gasped for breath and pointed at the first row of potions. "That, t-the white one," he whispered before clutching his teeth together tightly. He hadn't felt the pain from the unicorn's blood in at least the last month. It wasn't pleasant, and to be feeling it now was definitely unexpected as the week wasn't even up yet, since he'd taken it last. Aska held out the uncorked vile and Harry grasped it in his shaking hand. He downed it in one go and immediately seethed as the potion swept through his system, stopping the pain from the unicorn's blood, but stinging everyone of his cells as it did.

Harry stayed doubled over on his knees for a good five minutes afterwards, everyone around him looking at him in concern. His father had stayed silent thus far, obviously not knowing what to do, but now he spoke. "Harry, are you…"

Harry held up his now bloodied and shaking hand, halting his father's inquiry. His other arm was still wrapped around his torso and he didn't look up to his father as he kept his eyes closed.

"Harry did something stupid and this is the consequence. Let him deal with it," Nemaek said with sudden sternness, which had even Aska looking at him in stunned silence.

Harry stayed a few more minutes before he blinked open his eyes and Aska looked at him with real worry. "It's never been like that before?" he asked quietly, and Harry shook his head in the negative. "Come on, we should get you patched up, before you aggravate that wound further." Harry only nodded again as he let Aska help him to his feet.

"What have you done to yourself?" James suddenly snapped and Harry looked at him briefly before turning away.

"I drank the blood of a unicorn," he said quietly and James gasped behind him. "You own an apothecary, I'm sure you know the consequences of that. Nemaek is right let me deal with it."

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When James Potter had heard about his son's death, he had almost given up on life. The only thing that kept him going was Mikhail, who had literally knocked sense into his head with a glass bottle. He still had the bump, from his surrogate daughter. But now that his son was in front of him, he was wondering if it would have been better, that his son had actually died. He was obviously in a lot of pain, and it wasn't all physical. What was worse was that James was lost on how to help him. He didn't have a clue.

James led his son and the two people he never thought he'd see again, Aska and Nemaek, up the stairs to his apartment above his apothecary. Luckily, the entrance to his apartment was in the same alley they had been dueling. James was sure that it would have been a sight for the Muggles to behold if they were to see the amount of blood that covered his son.

James stopped, momentarily hesitating at the door to his apartment. He wasn't sure if Mikhail was still on her lunch break or not. He glanced over at his son, who was taking the considerable blood loss quite amazingly. What exactly had his son been through in the past that could allow him to appear so calm? James was just about to open the door when it was opened for him from inside.

"Jay, what on earth kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into now?" Mikhail said as she opened the door before James could. "Oh, what did you do to him?" Mikhail said pointing at Harry, Harry only raised an eyebrow.

"Me! Why do you always assume I had anything to do with…"

"Because, you always do!"

"I'll have you know he did this to himself," James said haughtily. "Now girl, if you'd move aside I could tend to him."

"It's alright; I'm fine, really no hurry or anything. It's not as bad as it looks," Harry said as he swayed a little and grabbed the wall for support. Nemaek laughed at him before flying into the apartment.

"Nice place, James," He yelled from within.

Mikhail was looking at the bird in wonder, as James and Harry made their way into James' apartment. "Is that a phoenix?" James looked from the bird to Mikhail, but Aska spoke before he had a chance to.

"No, just a stupid wizard who got himself stuck as a useless bird," Aska grumbled from the shadows of the hallway. "You're not human," he stated as he also came through the door. "An Aker, if I'm not mistaken."

"How did you know that?" Mikhail asked suspicion written all over her face.

"I was once an Aker, before I was banished for a crime I did not commit," he said lightly and James looked at Aska as he was handing Harry a blood-replenishing potion, he hadn't known that. "Excuse me, but I should help attend to Harry," he said lightly nodding to her as he walked over to the boy. "Take off your shirt, Potter. You're lucky I learned a thing or two on healing from Murk."

Harry winced as he removed his shirt to reveal blood soaked bandages. Aska used his wand to cut away the bandages and clean away the blood. James took a deep breath in and Mikhail gasped when they saw the deep blue spider vanes crisscrossing across his chest.

Harry just laughed at his father's reaction. "Side affect of using mum's pendent. Had I known there was a possibility of living, I probably wouldn't have done it, though I'm healing."

"What pendent?" James asked confused.

"Castitas Magus," Aska said as he wrapped clean bandages around Harry's torso. James was surprised by the bond the two seemed to have formed. He new Aska would probably never admit it, but he had real concern for his son. "Don't you get the newspaper?"

"No, the only reason I knew about Harry was because I got a letter from a Ginevra Weasley. Though I'm not sure how she knew I was here," James said shaking his head.

"Ginny," Harry whispered with a guilty look in his eyes before he closed them and looked away from James. "That would be my doing. I had hopped that she would do it in person. But she obviously couldn't get out here."

"Actually she said that she wanted to come visit, that she had something to give me and was going to try and come this summer after school let out," James said pointing his wand at a desk draw, which opened and a folded letter came out of it and zoomed into his hand. He handed it to Harry. James already knew the letter by heart and was surprised by his son's reaction.

Harry jumped up from where he was sitting. "I can't be here when she gets here," Harry said just as suddenly.

"Harry, I'm sure your friend can keep your secret…" James began, but was interrupted.

"No dad, you don't understand! I can't be around them; it's too dangerous! Until I can get away from this darkness I'm a danger to them!"

"Harry, what makes you think that?" James asked, but Nemaek answered for him.

"You had a vision didn't you?" Nemaek asked.

Harry looked away and out a nearby window. "I hopped it was a dream," Harry whispered.

"How long have you been getting these visions?" James asked. He was wondering if his son had inherited his mother's talent.

Harry thought about it for a moment. "Since I was twelve, I think. Though, I didn't start telling anyone about them until I was fourteen. I thought they were dreams."

"Harry you're a Seer," James said with a smile on his face.

Harry turned to face his father with an unbelieving glint in his eyes. "No… no, no… no," Harry rambled. "No!"

"Yes," James said stopping Harry. "Lily was one as well, drove our Divination Professor mad. By the time she was sixteen, she had honed her abilities enough to predict what Professor Deana was going to say. Deana was a good Seer, but nowhere near Lily's level. Though now that I think about it I'm fairly certain Deana predicted our deaths," James shrugged.

"Dad, I'm not a Seer, all the visions I get have been from Voldemort," Harry insisted but he had a doubtful glint in his eye, after all, the one that ended up saving Mr. Weasley, he hadn't seen through Voldemort's eyes.

"Yes son, you are."

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A/N: New chapter, enjoy!


	7. The Dueling Room

_Harry and Aska succumb to curiosity. _

A/N: I own nothing; it's all Rowling's.

Chapter Six - The Dueling Room

Ginny Weasley was upset; no, she wasn't upset, she was furious. Harry Potter was alive! You would think that she would be ecstatic by this news, after all Harry had been her first love, or infatuation, depending on which one of her family you were asking. But at the moment that didn't matter, he had let them all believe that he was dead! And he was obviously bent on it staying that way.

It had been a week since school had let out and a week since Ginny had uncovered the truth. Everyone under the Weasley roof was trying to figure out what had Ginny so peeved and they were trying to figure out her secret, and boy did she have a big one. It was simply diving the Weasley's nuts not knowing. After all this was a large family and there were little to no secrets within the Burrow's walls, and even if someone had a secret it wasn't kept for long. Except when it came to the youngest, Ginny was the one that knew everything about everyone; she'd always been that way. But she'd always been the most tightlipped, when it came to secrets that were important. And this one was definitely important.

Ginny punched her pillow again; her mother had called her down for dinner several minutes ago, but she hadn't been able to stop crying so she had ignored her. How could Harry put her in this position? It would have been a simple task if he were really dead. She had already owled his father and told him and she had plans to go to Heidelberg as soon as she could, to make sure he got her letter and give him Harry's. But now she knew that he was alive. James Potter was going to think her cruel for sending such a letter and then telling him it wasn't true. Which was why she hadn't owled him again as she said she would in her last letter. She just couldn't do it.

"Ginny, Mum says dinner is ready. Ginny are you alright?"

Ginny looked up from her pillow, it was Bill; he had come to stay the week while he had some free time from work and the order. "Oh, Bill, why did Harry have to do what he did?"

"I don't know, to protect us all I suppose," Bill answered, as he came and sat down on Ginny's bed. Of course he was talking about Harry using the pendent and dying and Ginny wasn't about to correct him, but she had to know something.

"W-what if Hermione was right and Harry's still alive out there somewhere? What would happen if he came back?" Ginny asked and Bill took in a deep breath and looked at his hands.

"Ginny he's not alive, Gringotts…"

"It's just rhetorical; I know it can't be true, just what if? Would he be in trouble?"

Bill looked at his sister. "He'd be sent to Azkaban and given the kiss. He helped kill people, Gin, _he_ killed people, and that's public knowledge now. Not even Dumbledore could help him."

"Oh," Ginny whispered she was silent for a long time before she looked back to Bill. "I'm not hungry, I'll eat later, just tell Mum to leave something in the oven for me," she said a little louder and turned away from her brother. Bill looked at his sister with concern in his eyes before he got up and left her room.

Ginny waited a few minutes, after her brother left; trying to make up her mind. It was possible that Harry would seek out his father, so it may be the only way of getting in contact with him. He had to know not to come back to Britain . Ginny got off her bed and went to her desk. She grabbed a piece of parchment and quill and ink. The letter she wrote was straight to the point; she just hoped it wasn't intercepted. The last one never mentioned anyone by name, this time it did. She was just glad that she had finally gotten her own owl for Christmas, though it was a late gift from her father.

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Harry was sitting in his father's flat bored out of his skull, his father wouldn't let him leave and Aska wasn't helping matters any as he kept throwing paper air planes at him, charmed to hit him every time. Over the last week, he had been pretty much sitting around like this, reading books and staring at the ceiling. And what was worse was that his father had a room with a locked door that he had forbidden anyone from entering. He was sure that his dad was just keeping it locked to piss him off. He and Aska had been curious as hell and they kept shooting glances at the door across the room. James had laughed at them whenever he caught them.

"Aska stop," Harry finally said in annoyance as he got up from the couch he was on. He ran his hand through his hair and paced back and fourth. "I can't take it anymore; I'm going for a walk."

"I don't know if that is such a good idea, your father was pretty adamant about you staying here," Nemaek said from a perch by the window.

Aska jumped up. "I'm with the kid, you may be able to sit here and preen your feathers all day, but I need the out doors once in a while. And being cooped up in here with you two, is not my idea of fun." Aska started to make his way to the door when he stopped and looked at Harry and then the locked door. "What's the odds of James noticing if we get that door open," he said quietly nodding at the door.

Harry eyed the door, and shook his head. "I don't know Aska, people usually have locked doors for a reason," Harry said stretching. He knew Aska was just trying to bait him, so he'd get in trouble with his dad. Harry wasn't biting, as curious as he was, he barely knew his father and he didn't want to form a rift between them.

"Oh, come on, I've seen you eyeing the door as much as I have. You can't tell me that you're not the least bit curious about what James is hiding in there," Aska egged him on. "And I know you can open it."

Harry looked at the door and then at Aska and then he looked at the door again. "Curiosity may have killed the cat, but I'm no cat," Harry smirked and Nemaek rolled his eyes at the two. Harry walked up to the door calmly and tested the doorknob; of course, it was still locked. Harry looked up and down the door. There was a faint, barely noticeable yellow light surrounding the door. Harry waved his hand over the door briefly and the color disappeared. "That was too easy, stand back; he's probably trapped it as well." After all his father wasn't a Marauder for nothing.

Aska nodded and took a few steps back. Harry opened the door. There was a small glowing rune at the foot of it, that wouldn't be seen if one wasn't looking for it. Harry kicked it out of the way with his foot and entered the room. Instantly the room was filled with light and Aska came in behind Harry.

"Wow, Harry do you know what this is?" Aska asked looking around as if Christmas had come early. Harry raised an eyebrow at the man. He was positively giddy; it was a little scary.

"No, what?" he asked, looking at the floor designs and the many different markings on the walls.

"It's a first class dueling room. I don't even think Hogwarts has one of these; they're usually only allotted to auror training academies," Aska explained and then an evil sparkle came into his eyes. "Go get our training swords Harry; we're going to have ourselves a work out."

Harry was about to protest to that, but then shrugged, it had been a week sense they had trained together. Harry bolted from the room and returned a few minutes later. He had taken a little longer to change into his customary white shirt and black pants and pull back his hair into a ponytail. He tossed Aska his sword and Aska caught it with out flinching. Nemaek had been too curious to wait outside and had also entered into the large room to watch.

"Let's not over do it Harry, we don't want to have to change your bandages again," Aska said as he swung his sword a few times in front of him. Harry stretched out his muscles a bit and got reacquainted with the dulled training sword as Aska was doing the same. After a few minutes, Aska stopped and moved into a fighting stance, "On your guard."

Harry nodded and too moved into a fighting stance. They both studied each other for quite a while, before Harry decided that Aska wasn't going to make the first move and did himself. Harry brought his blade down, making a slash across his front. Aska parried and the duel was on. Because Harry had learned the techniques, they were now almost evenly matched and they matched each other blow for blow.

They were still going at it fifteen minutes later when James snuck in, followed by Mikhail, but neither of them noticed as they were so focused on each other. Aska finally got their blades locked and they pushed against each other so that their faces were close to one another.

"Give it up Harry, you're tiring!" Aska demanded, he was breathing heavily, but it was nothing compared to the stain the duel was having on the Harry, but Aska wasn't going to be the first one to back down and neither was Harry.

Harry had to win this one, he didn't know why but he was determined to. "No, you're the one tiring," Harry whispered through clenched teeth, before he kicked off of Aska, which forced him to stumble and land on one knee. Harry had actually rolled and landed on his feet. He raised his sword, but instead of bringing his blade down, which Aska was expecting, Harry brought the hilt down and the sword was forced out of Aska's hands by the impacted. Harry had Aska's sword in his left hand half a second later and had the two blades at Aska's throat a half a second after that.

Harry was breathing heavily, and had his mind not been elsewhere, he would have noticed that he was bleeding as well. But his mind was not in the present, nor the past, it was in a vision of a future yet to come true, a vision he had already had. Everyone in the room had backed up quite a few paces when a powerful black aura illuminated from Harry.

_"Please," a familiar female voice pleaded. Harry had seen this scene before. Hermione was dead beside Ron; killed by the hands of a monster. "Please, you've destroyed everything, release him, he is of no use anymore. Let Harry go." _

_Scarred hands gripped tightly the two sibling swords of Slytherin and Gryffindor and raised the blades to the red head's throat. Harry tried to stop his hands from rising, knowing what was going to happen, but he couldn't stop them and he felt each blade pulse with power and words came out of his mouth, in his voice, but he wasn't saying them. "Perhaps you are right Ginevra, but do I want to be released?" _

_Harry watched as Ginny sank to her knees, there was nothing he could do to stop this. He watched in horror as her eyes dulled with acceptance. It only took a single stroke and Ginny joined his two friends in death. He tried to look away as she fell, but couldn't, and her tear glistening eyes reflected his image, and an image behind him, I wand pointed at his back. Harry let out a defiant, anguished roar, that matched the one from his vision self. _

The roar followed him out of the vision and Harry dropped the two swords, his eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape, but there was no escaping his mind. "No!" Harry shouted as he grabbed his head in agony, sinking to his knees at the same time as he was dragged back into his mind.

_Harry looked around him. Everything was dark, everything but the monster that stood in front of him. The power he held seemed to illuminate him and Harry tried to scramble away, but he couldn't as a hand came around his throat and lifted him from the ground. _

_"Hello, Harry. You really should have killed me when you had the chance, but now that I know you are alive, I will have the pleasure of killing you myself, and what a pleasure that will be," Voldemort laughed cruelly, and pushed more pain into Harry's scar. Harry let out a strangled screamed as he clawed at the hand that was choking him. _

_Suddenly Voldemort threw him aside and Harry was able to draw in deep breath. "Voldemort," Harry whispered as he pushed himself to his feet. "I took away your power once, I can do it again!" Harry spat and the Dark Lord laughed harder and advanced on Harry. Harry flinched away and Voldemort laughed again. _

_"Not if I have the pendent. How did you think that I was able to get my powers back? Though I have to thank you, you got rid of that nagging little voice in the back of my head. I believe his name was Tom before I completely took him over." _

_Harry paled. "Get out of my head, Voldemort!" Harry yelled angrily. _

_"Don't like the truth, Harry? You killed a nearly innocent boy when you took my magic," Voldemort whispered, still coming closer, but at the same time keeping a distance. "He was younger then you when he succumbed to the magic in Slytherin's diary, when he succumbed to me." _

_"Shut up!" Harry shouted. _

_"Just as you succumbed to me," Voldemort laughed. _

_"L-leave me alone," Harry's voice was shaking as was his body, as he kept backing away from Voldemort. _

_"How do you suppose Dumbledore came by the Heirs diary?" Voldemort asked; Harry remained silent as he stopped backing away. "I planted it there, and then ordered Severus to get you to read it. I had you before you even opened the diary. You have been mine from the very beginning." _

_"Go away!" Harry shouted again, but his voice wavered. _

_"You will succumb to me again before I kill you." _

_"No, I won't!" Harry shouted defiantly, but the defiance was lost when he flinched as Voldemort raised his hand to hit him. _

_Voldemort laughed again. "Yes, Harry, you will, but not before you fall to your own darkness," Voldemort said calmly, before he pushed even more pain onto their link. _

Harry screamed from the pain, clenching at his scar. "Get out of my head!" Harry yelled and then the pain stopped, and Harry realized that he was lying on the floor of the dueling room, shaking, and James was trying to hold him down, while Aska was trying to get his hands away from his head. Harry stilled and let his hands fall back to his side as he rested his head on the floor and closed his eyes. "Why can't I just be rid of him," Harry whispered to himself.

"Harry are you alright?" James asked; there was fear in his voice.

Harry took in an unsteady breath. "No, but I will be," Harry answered truthfully.

"What happened, Harry?" Aska asked. "The last time it only lasted for a few seconds and then you blacked out."

"This has happened before?" James asked and Harry nodded, still with his eyes closed.

"Voldemort can pull me into his mind," Harry whispered, raising his hand to his head and tracing his scar with his figure. It wasn't bleeding and Harry sighed. "We are linked through my scar. I thought I had broken the link permanently when I had taken his magic. He must have found a way back in. The links different then before tough; I think it hurts him to use it. But I'm not sure why," Harry said with confusion in his voice and eyes as he opened then too look at his father. He sat up after a minute and looked at his blood soaked shirt. "Not again. Can't I heal already," he growled.

"Not if this keeps happening," Nemaek answered his unasked question and Harry rolled his eyes.

"It's alright Harry," Mikhail said as she came into the dueling room carrying a basin of water and a roll of new bandages. "You don't look as bad as last time," she said and Harry smiled at her. "Though, as impressive as you are with a sword, you should not have been sparing the way you were."

Harry's smile dropped at the scolding and then he smirked. "You really think I was impressive?"

"Not anymore," she said and then laughed at him when his mouth dropped open. James laughed as well.

"Well she may not find you impressive Harry, but I certainly did. You've never beaten Aska before," Nemaek chuckled and Aska gave him a sulking look.

"Wait, I won?" Everyone nodded and Harry nearly cried, he couldn't remember it.

"What's the matter, Harry, I thought you'd be gloating by now?" Aska said as he caught the depressed look on his face.

"The one time I win, I can't remember doing it." Everyone couldn't help, but laugh at him.

After Harry had gotten his bandages replaced and gotten cleaned up, Harry was relaxing on the couch as he was getting reamed out for the first time by his dad. Harry couldn't help the smile that crept first into his eyes and then onto his face.

"What exactly are you smiling about? I was serious when I said, stay out of that room; you are in no physical shape to be dueling, why do you think I locked it," James said with anger, and his anger was added with frustration when Harry started to laugh.

"I'm sorry dad, it's just the first time I've ever been scolded by a parent that's actually mine," Harry said through a chuckle.

James' anger melted away immediately and he sat down on the couch beside his son with a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Harry. I shouldn't have any right to scold you. I gave up that right when I ran away and left you behind."

The smile melted from Harry's face. "Dad you didn't run away. If you had come back, you would have eventually been killed by Death Eaters out for revenge. The only reason I stayed safe for so long was because no one knew where I was. Dumbledore made sure of that."

"Yes and he could have protected me as well and then you would have at least had a father growing up. But I took the cowards way out," James spat angrily as he ran his hand through his hair. "Some Gryffindor I am. I should have been put in Slytherin." Harry nearly laughed at the way his dad said Slytherin. He spit it out like it was poison, it reminded him of Ron. "I bet you made a great Gryffindor."

Harry shifted and looked away from his father as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He had yet to tell his dad that he had been sorted into Slytherin and should have been there all alone, according to the Sorting Hat. "Not all Slytherins are cowards and not all Gryffindors are brave," Harry muttered.

James noticed his odd behavior, but seemed to ignore Harry's muttered statement. "You did get sorted into Gryffindor right?"

"Oh yeah, uh-uh, sure did," Harry said under his breath.

James' brow knit together. "What aren't you telling me?"

Harry looked at his dad, and smiled with a slight chuckle, but dropped the smile at the look in James' eyes. "Umm, well I was sorted into Gryffindor," Harry said and James let out a sigh. He should have left it at that but he didn't. "And remained there through fifth year," Harry continued, eyeing his father. "I was resorted into Slytherin…"

"What? How could Albus resort you into Slytherin, what was he thinking?" James demanded standing up.

"…By my choice!" Harry finished a little angrily. "Dumbledore didn't have anything to do with it," Harry said defensively. "He didn't know and was as shocked as everyone else when I asked to be resorted."

"What could possess you to want to be resorted?" James asked looking at his son, like he had just grown another head.

"Voldemort," Harry spat out and then he looked up to his father. "He made a deal with me. He said that if I asked to be resorted and I ended up staying in Gryffindor that he'd leave me alone for the entire year. If I…"

"But the Sorting Hat put you in Gryffindor, how did you end up in Slytherin? The Sorting Hat is never wrong," James asked; he was obviously very confused.

Harry took in a deep breath and pushed his anger down. "The Sorting Hat put me in Gryffindor because I asked it to, Dad. It told me first year that I would do well in Slytherin, and when I got resorted, it put me into the house that I belonged in."

"No, my son is not a Slytherin," James said adamantly.

Harry stood up and faced his father. "Yes I am, and there is nothing wrong with that," Harry said haughtily, he was sick of people thinking like this. "There are a lot of good people in Slytherin House. Ambitious and cunning does not mean evil. This is why Hogwarts is torn and will remain torn, because of prejudices such as this!" Harry turned from his father and looked out the window at the late afternoon sky. "If I ever have the chance I think I'll become a professor at Hogwarts," Harry whispered. "That way I can teach the school how to put aside the division among the houses and work together as one."

"A noble goal," Nemaek said from where he had just perched on the back of the couch. "I think I'd like to help with that."

"Yes all very noble," Aska said coming into the room. "James, you have an owl."

James who had been staring at his son looked to where Aska pointed. A reddish brown barn owl was tapping at the glass of one of the windows waiting to be let in. James walked over to open the window, but the owl didn't fly to him, but to Harry instead.

Harry took the letter from it's talons and it left through were it had come in. He looked at who the letter was addressed to and glanced at his father briefly. It was addressed to both of them. Harry opened the letter and pulled out the parchment inside and glanced over it, and then he sat down abruptly.

"Harry what is it?" James asked.

"A warning," Harry whispered and then he read the letter out loud.

_"'Mr. Potter, _

_This letter could possibly be intercepted but I had to tell you. I just found out that Harry's alive and will probably seek you out if he hasn't already. When he does, give him this. _

_Harry, _

_You must not come back to Britain under any circumstances. The ministry will arrest you and give you the dementors kiss. Someone has tipped them off about what you did while you were serving Tom. Hermione declared that you were alive in front of the entire school. Dumbledore disputed this but it has gotten people thinking. It will be only a matter of time before they find out that you are alive the same way I did. _

_Please don't come back, I don't want to see you punished for Tom's crimes. _

_I miss you, _

_Ginny'" _

Harry set the letter down. "Well there goes my hope of ever wanting to become a professor. As soon as they find out that I am alive, I'll be one of the most wanted men in Britain ," Harry said bluntly.

"Who's Tom?" James asked looking at his son.

"Tom Riddle," Harry said lightly. "He was Lord Voldemort."

"Was?" James asked.

"Harry killed him," Aska said smoothly and Harry flinched when he remembered what Voldemort had told him. "Now I hate to be the barer of bad news, but if that owl was intercepted, we could quite possibly have several wizards on their way here."

"Aska's right," Mikhail said from the doorway were she stood unnoticed by all. "We should leave for a while."

"Yes, I say a vacation is in order, and I know just the place where no one will think to look for us," Everyone looked at Nemaek wearily; he had a glint in his beady eyes that suggested mischief.

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A/N: Another chapter for you fine people. :)


	8. A Ring of Choice

_Harry gets some long awaited fun and then he encounters a friend._

A/N: I own nothing; it's all Rowling's.

Chapter Seven – A Ring of Choice

It had been over a month since Harry, Aska, Nemaek, Mikhail and James had traveled out of Germany. According to the newspapers, the world was still none the wiser about Harry being alive which was just fine for Harry. Of course, according to the papers as well, the world was none the wiser about Voldemort's return. Harry knew about it, but he was ignoring it as best he could. Some would say he was being selfish, and maybe he was, but, personally, he was having a blast. It was his birthday in five days and as Harry had been doing for the last four, he was celebrating early. This place made Harry feel free for the first time ever, and if he had it his way he would never leave.

Dancing had never been Harry's thing, but that didn't stop him from dragging Mikhail onto the club's dance floor for another fast-paced song. The music hypnotized Harry and made him relax. Mikhail danced in front of him with as much vigor. For the first time for both of them, they were two normal teens out being teens and having a good time.

Harry smiled as Mikhail pulled off a fancy dance move and he tried to copy it but only managed to loose his balance and grab onto Mikhail so he wouldn't fall, which made them both laugh. Harry loved this place, he never new that the Muggles had places like this. And he never would have had Aska not pointed out that Cairo had some of the best dance clubs, if you knew where to look.

Aska, Nemaek, and James were back at their hotel. As they were in Egypt, James had vowed to help Mikhail find her family, but even with Aska being an Aker they had been having little luck and as a month had gone by, Mikhail was ready to give up, which was why Harry had dragged her out to the club for the last few days. He didn't want to see her moping around. Mikhail had gotten her hopes up that they would find her family, but things just weren't working out the way they wanted.

Harry steered Mikhail back to their table as the song ended. Mikhail looked at her watch and then back to Harry as they sat down. "We should be getting back soon; we didn't tell Jay where we were going."

Harry shrugged with a slight smirk on his lips. He still got a kick out of his father's insistence on being called Jay instead of James. Harry, of course, called him Dad, and Aska used James just because it annoyed him. Harry always laughed at the scowl his dad would give Aska every time. Harry looked at his own watch, one he had picked up in a Muggle shop. Harry was sure his dad would guess where they had gone to, but it was almost two in the morning. Mikhail was right, they should get back. "Yeah you're right. Come on, lets get out of here, then."

Mikhail and Harry walked slowly through the streets of Cairo. Their hotel wasn't far from the disco, and it was an easy walk for the two. Harry kept looking over his shoulder; he was getting the feeling that they were being watched. However, they were being awfully loud, as Mikhail kept laughing at Harry's jokes about Nemaek and Aska's arguing. Harry didn't let his unease show to the girl hanging off of his left arm though. They were probably just being watched by some nosy Muggles. Harry twirled Mikhail around, which made her squeal and then start giggling. Harry laughed as she ruffled his now short and spiky blond hair as they were just about to round the corner to the street the hotel was on. Harry suddenly stopped and the smile fell from his lips when a man stepped out into their path with his arms crossed over his chest and anger in his eyes. He had his wand in his right hand and visible and Harry recognized him immediately.

"Just answer me one thing, Harry. Why, why let them believe that you are dead when you are obviously not. Do you know the pain you have caused my family?" Bill Weasley said harshly.

Mikhail had taken her wand out, but Harry shook his head for her to put it away. "How did you know I was here, Bill?"

"I saw you a couple of nights ago in a club. I really had hoped that it wasn't you. But there aren't many people with that scar," Bill said as he motioned to Harry's head.

Harry sighed, he had been able to alter his appearance with his metamorphic abilities but he hadn't been able to hide his scar completely even with him being nearly completely healed.

"Harry, Dumbledore is going to want to know you're alive. He'll want you to come back and as a member of the Order I'm obligated to bring you back."

"I'm sorry, Bill, but that won't be happening." Harry drew his wand and Bill had his up at the same time. Mikhail looked between the two before she too raised her wand at Bill. "Your going to have to come with us," Harry said with a seriousness in his voice that he hadn't had since they had left Germany.

Bill obviously knew that he wasn't going to win against the two of them and lowered his wand. Harry knew Bill wouldn't try to Apparate because of the Apparation laws in Egypt, so he lowered his wand, but didn't put it away. Harry hated raising his wand against a Weasley, but he was already being plagued by his visions and Voldemort, he wasn't about to have the rest of the Wizarding World out to get him as well. He motioned for Bill to start walking.

A few minutes later and the three of them entered into the shared hotel suite. James was pacing the room, waiting for his son and surrogate daughter to return, but he stopped when the door opened. "I know the two of you were probably out just having some fun, but…" James stopped abruptly at seeing his son holding a man with long red hair at wand point. He raised his eyebrow at his son. "Find a new friend, Harry?"

Harry motioned for Bill to take a seat on the nearest armchair and he did as Harry turned towards his father and put his wand away. Bill was looking at James with a bit of shock in his eyes. "He recognized me in the club, Dad. This is Bill Weasley, Ron's oldest brother. I didn't know what else to do, so I brought him back here."

Bill was shaking his head back and forth in disbelief, now really recognizing the man. "J-James Potter? That's impossible."

"Right, did I miss something, were we supposed to be having company," Nemaek said as he flew into the room, Aska stood in the doorway to his room, his arms crossed over his chest as he eyed the new arrival. Billed watched the phoenix as Nemaek landed nearby.

"The one who works for Gringotts and has spent much time in Egypt?" asked James, ignoring both Bill and Nemaek. Harry nodded but recognized the glint that was forming in his father's eyes and caught on to what his father was thinking surprisingly quickly. Bill had spent many years in Egypt; surely he would know something of the whereabouts of the Aker.

Harry looked at Bill. "I didn't want to be found, Bill, but now that you're here, you may be able to help us. What do know about the Aker?"

Bill furrowed his brow. "Why?"

"They're my family, and I've been trying to get back to them for years," Mikhail said. "Can you help us?"

Bill took in a deep breath as he looked at Mikhail in thought. There was sincerity in her words and an almost pleading look her eyes. "I don't know where they are, but they can be found. I've heard rumors, not much of where they are though, but there are a few shops in the Wizarding part of Cairo that trade with them once or twice a month."

Aska nodded from the door. "James and I have been all over Sedes Isle. They're all being as secretive about the Aker as the Aker themselves," Aska said with a condescending tone and James and Harry both rolled their eyes.

Just noticing Aska standing there, Bill looked over to him. "The shop keepers here don't trust outsiders," Bill spat at him and then looked to Harry. "If you come back with me, I'll try and get some information from the shop owners that I know."

"I can't go back, Bill," Harry stated staring back at him.

"Then I can't help you."

Mikhail sat down on the couch and put her head in her hand. Harry looked at the girl that had become like a sister to him. The guilt was eating away at him. He wanted to go home to his friends, he wanted to help Mikhail, but he was afraid. He was just keeping the darkness that threatened to over whelm him at bay. Only distance from Voldemort kept the Dark Lord out of his mind, but Voldemort still seemed to have some control over him at times. Especially in his dreams while he slept. The Dark Mark, branded into his arm helped with that.

Bill was still looking at Harry and Harry stared back at him. "I can't go back," Harry repeated, more to himself, but with little conviction in his words. Harry closed his eyes and sighed. He was letting his fear control him. He had promised himself that fear would never control or hold him back again, but here he was succumbing to it.

"Help us and I'll let the Order know that I'm alive. I won't promise I'll go back, I don't think I'd be welcome anyways, but I will at least tell them I'm alive."

Bill's eyes wondered over the people in the room, everyone was silent and watching him. He nodded. "Okay, but at least think about coming back. I don't know if you've felt through your mark or not. But our information suggests that Voldemort may be coming back to power. I'm not sure how though."

A brief moment of anger washed over Harry's face before James put a hand on his shoulder to calm him. "I know Bill, I knew a month ago and it's one of the reasons a I can't go back," Harry sighed.

"We should all get some sleep, we can work some more tomorrow on finding the Aker," James said after a full minute of silence. Harry nodded and leaving his father's grasp headed of to his room in the hotel suite. He felt James watching him go with worry in his eyes.

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Harry, with his hair long and tide back and sporting a light shade of brown, walked beside Mikhail through the maze like streets of Sedes Isle, or Cairo's equivalent of Diagon Alley. He had his arm draped over her shoulders as they walked from shop to shop, looking for James, Aska, and Bill Weasley. The sweltering summer heat that was settled over Muggle Cairo seemed to be stopped by the magic surrounding Sedes Isle, and made the area comfortable. The two were now lazily walking through the Isle, having been searching for over an hour for them. They were both getting a little frustrated.

"You don't suppose they went back to the hotel for something, do you?" Mikhail finally asked.

Harry pulled Mikhail into another shop before he answered her. "I don't think so. It wouldn't be likely, anyways." Harry was looked at some interesting medallions and rings as Mikhail browsed through the store looking for the others. Harry's eyes caught sight of an interesting ring that he couldn't seem to draw his attention away from, as hard as he tried. "Umm, Sir?" still staring at the ring, Harry caught the attention of the clerk.

"Yes, what can I do for you?"

"Can I see that ring?"

The clerk smiled brightly and nodded and took the ring out from under the glass counter and handed it to Harry. Harry looked at it more closely. It was remarkably well crafted, he'd never seen anything like it before, nor had he felt anything like it before. It was almost begging to be put on. Harry studied the ring. It had two silver snakes on it, both of their bodies, making up the band and their heads and tails rested on the top of the ring, on either side of a sleeping onyx wolf. Harry felt as if the ring already belonged to him as he slipped it on to his right ring finger.

A sudden jolt of magic shot over Harry and Harry looked down at the ring with amazement in his eyes that, unbeknownst to him glowed briefly gold as the magic swept over him. It wasn't dark magic that gripped at Harry, but it wasn't entirely light. The only thing Harry could think of to describe it was it was pure, unpolluted, and Harry had to keep this ring.

"I'll take it," Harry said in a calm, but strong voice and handed over the right amount of Galleons without being told the price. The shopkeeper looked momentarily shocked, but shook it off as it was one of his most expensive items and he had been trying to sell it for sometime. Harry eyed the man for a moment almost in shock as well. Somehow he had known all that as if the man had told him, but he hadn't.

Harry walked out of the shop and looked up to the cloudless sky as he waited for Mikhail. The ring hissed in his head, but Harry felt as if the two voices that were speaking to him were natural and had always been there. Harry had the sudden urge to run, but he pushed it aside when Mikhail came out of the shop.

"There you are. They weren't in there," Mikhail said shaking her head. Harry smiled at the girl and she looked back at him with an odd expression on her face.

Harry took Mikhail's hand. "I know where they are, or where they're going to be." It was like a cloud had been lifted in Harry's head and he could see everything clearly. He knew that a man was going to round the corner and drop his money pouch. He knew that an old lady down the street was going to come out of a shop and bump into a kid not watching where he was going. It was remarkable. Mikhail was about to ask what he meant but he began pulling her across the street and down a small side street.

Harry rounded a corner, still grasping Mikhail's hand. He saw his dad about to walk into a dark shop, but called out to him, Aska and Bill and they stopped to look back at Harry and Mikhail. "They won't know," Harry said as they approached.

"And how do you know that?" Aska grumbled.

Harry just smiled. "I just do. But that shop over there does, and they're receiving a delivery within the next hour, from an Aker."

"Harry, how do you know that? We haven't been in that shop yet," Mikhail asked and James looked to his son with the same confusion.

Harry laughed and rolled his eyes at his father. "Come on Dad, you're the one who told me I was a Seer."

"Yes, but you were only receiving visions before…"

Harry held up his hand, and cut off James, showing off the ring that glistened in the sunlight. "Oh, I know. I got this ring and when I put it on it was like, whoosh, and a block was lifted or something, I can see everything. It's really cool."

"Let me see that!" Aska suddenly grabbed Harry's hand and held it up to get a good look at the ring. "I don't believe it. This belonged to Josef Nicodemus, a Lycaon Seer. My father once took me to see him when I was a boy. He had an amazing gift. Where did you find this? It was said to be lost years ago."

"A shop back there somewhere, but I kind of got the feeling that the shopkeeper didn't know what he had on his hands. So this Josef Nicodemus was a Lycaon, does that mean he was a werewolf?" Harry asked practically all in one breath.

"No, Lycaons are like the Aker, they just come from a different part of the world, Russia to be exact. There magical abilities differ as well," Aska answered.

"Oh," Harry said abruptly and then he turned around to a wizard standing across the street. "You may want to move to your left sir," Harry called out. The man looked at him for a moment and then moved to his left just as an owl dropped a package where the man had been standing.

"Thank you," the Wizard called back gratefully, before he retrieved the large package that would have knocked him unconscious and went into the shop he was standing outside of.

Harry turned back to his companions who were all looking at him funny. He smiled. He was feeling great, like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. "He would have had a terrible headache when he woke if I hadn't said anything."

"Harry, I'm not sure this is natural. Your abilities aren't supposed to grow so fast. This could be dangerous. I think you should take the ring off," James said with concern in his voice.

A shadow suddenly passed over Harry's eyes and everyone took an unconscious step back from him. "Take it off! I've never felt better then I do right now!" Harry growled and then he smiled again and the shadow disappeared. "Besides, it's telling me not to."

"Harry, I think that ring may be cursed," Bill said quietly, as he looked at Harry warily.

Harry looked down at the ring. It was speaking Parseltongue to him and it was making jokes. Harry laughed at the others looking at him like he was going crazy. Then he frowned and hissed at the ring. "_Why don't they understand? You're not evil. You're like me, dark and light_."

The ring hissed back. "_They are one sided_."

"Oh," Harry said in English. A smile came back onto his face. "So, yes, that shop over there will be visited by the Aker soon. I need to go," Harry said and then started to walk away.

"Harry!" James got in Harry's way. "That ring is not making you think right. Take it off!"

"No time to take it off, Dad. Don't worry, I'll find you were ever you guys end up going. I must do something, the ring wants me to go someplace," Harry said cheerfully.

James grabbed onto Harry's arm to keep him from leaving. "No you are not going anywhere."

A shadow passed over Harry's eyes again. "Let go of me," Harry half growled, half-hissed.

"Jay, get away from him!" Mikhail shouted and he backed off just seconds before Harry turned into a massive black wolf with emerald green eyes.

Harry growled and stalked around his father. He let himself get used to the new form for a few seconds as he watched the shocked faces. This was interesting, but just like the ring talking to him, it felt natural. The ring hissed inside of his head and he knew it was time to go. Harry started to back away from the group. For a split second he could feel the ring letting go of whatever hold it had on him but then it was right back into place. Harry through back his head and let out long howl and then started running. He didn't get five feet before he disappeared in a whirlwind of sand.

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A/N: Not as long as the last chapter, but I just couldn't find a good stopping place. For the next couple of chapters should I delve into the minds of other characters or should I stick to Harry's perspective only? Next chapter shall be up when I get it up written. :)


	9. Of Sand and Stone

_Harry helps the cursed and Mikhail and Aska return home._

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Eight - Of Sand and Stone

Harry leaned against the sandstone wall of the tiny windowless and door-less cell that he found himself in. He had been there for hours and he was beginning to think that he was going to be trapped forever. He'd tried everything to get himself out but even with Merlin's magic he couldn't break out of the tiny prison that he was trapped in. It was sweltering in the tiny prison and he had long ago discarded his shirt and light cloak, which were soaked in sweat. He'd tried meditating for a while to keep himself calm, but every time he thought that he had found himself in a state of relaxation and calmness, something in the back of his mind would start to make him panic again and broke his meditation.

Harry called out again for the hundredth time. Again, no one answered his cries. How had he let himself be duped by the ring that he couldn't even remove, no matter how much he tried? Why did he always get himself in these situations? _How_ did he always get himself in these situations? Harry slammed his fist into the wall in anger and tried again to blast at the stonewall with his magic, with no effect. The only thing it served was to make him even more tired. He had no idea where he was. His father had no idea where he was. He could die here and no one would know.

Harry took a deep breath in. "Look," Harry tried a knew approach, rather then screaming his head off to be released. "I don't know who you think I am, but this blooding ring had some kind of mind control over me. I don't even know how I got here. The last thing I remember was putting on the ring," Harry said tiredly, not expecting any answer, so he was startled when there was one.

"Come now, Nicodemus, you put this curse on me and then expect me to believe that you are under some kind of control from a ring?" A female voice laughed. "It's too much, really. Stop making me laugh. You are getting exactly what you deserve!" the woman, who Harry couldn't see, spat.

"What? No. I'm not Nicodemus, my name is…" Harry stopped. What did he have to loose, he was already in a prison. "My name is Harry Potter. Please let me go. You have got the wrong person."

"Oh please, you expect me to believe that story! Ha!" the women laughed cruelly. "Harry Potter is dead, even I who have no contact with the outside world have heard that."

"Look, surely you know what Nicodemus looks like. If you look at me you will…" Harry began to reason, but was cut off.

"Look at you! I can not look upon anyone because of your curse!" The woman screamed. "Enough of this, Nicodemus, you shall meet your fate now!"

Harry stepped away from the wall as a small block slid out from the wall and a large black and red snake slithered through the opening. Harry's eyes widened as he looked at the huge python sized snake.

"_Attack, kill him_!" the women shouted in unmistakable Parseltongue.

The snake reared up until it was eye level with Harry. Harry had backed himself into the far wall, which wasn't that far to back away. "_No!_" Harry hissed in panicked Parseltongue as the snake lunged at him and he raised his right hand ready to cast a wandless spell.

The snake stopped abruptly and looked at him through golden eyes. "_You speak? Yet you are not a creature of serpents_, _but you are branded one._"

Harry let out a shaky breath, he wasn't quite sure what the snake meant by being branded a serpent perhaps his dark mark, but he was just about to agree to anything to keep his life. "_Yes. Please let me go. I have nothing against your mistress. I am not who she seeks_."

The snake looked contemplative for a moment as he looked Harry straight in the eyes and then he turned and left through the small hole in the wall. Harry waited for several long silent minutes before the woman spoke again.

"My serpent tells me you speak his language. He also tells me that you are not the man I seek and everything you have said is true." The woman was silent for another minute. "I will release you, but do not look upon me or you will turn to stone."

"Turn to stone?" Harry asked quietly, what kind of curse was put upon this women? "Alright, I will keep my eyes closed." Harry shut his eyes as he said this.

Harry immediately felt the stone around him had disappeared and a cool breeze brushed his bare torso. He wanted to open his eyes and see where he was, but he kept them shut. Though, he almost opened them when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I must apologize to you. I cursed the ring you wear to bring me Josef Nicodemus, I had no idea it would take control of you. You must be as powerful as he or the ring would not recognize you."

Harry nodded in understanding. He was a powerful Wizard whether he liked it or not. "May I ask your name?"

"Ashea, my name is Ashea," she whispered by his right ear. "I have never met someone with the ability to converse with serpents that was not part serpent themselves. How did you come upon such an ability?" The women asked lightly. Harry could feel the warmth from her breath and it sent a tingling sensation up his spine.

"I was born with it. I inherited it from my ancestor Salazar Slytherin," Harry answered after he swallowed hard as he felt her hand run lightly across his chest and trace some of the spider vanes that we still quite visible.

"Slytherin; Nicodemus used to spit upon that name. He hated serpents. Said they were evil. Do you agree? You use Slytherin's name as if it's a curse to you."

Harry took a deep breath in as he felt her hand on his cheek and his heartbeat sped up. "No, serpents aren't evil," he managed to whisper as he felt her breath near his lips. What was she doing?

"Good," she whispered before he felt her soft lips on his.

Harry was so startled that he open his eyes to look into the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. They were the color of liquid twilight. The woman immediate pushed away from him and hid her face with her hands.

"I told you not to look upon me, and now another is stone," she whispered, keeping her face covered by her hands as she started to cry.

Harry looked at the young woman as she hid away from him. She wore a white robes, which brought out the rest of her with stark clarity and almost seemed to make her glow. He took a hesitant step back. He could see the curse upon her, but he could also see who she was underneath and he found her to be the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He took a step closer to her. "You were cursed to be a gorgon?" Harry asked in a whisper, his voice did not hold revulsion, but curiosity. It took a lot of magic to give someone that curse. It was one of the curses in Slytherin's Diary; it was a very old curse.

Ashea looked up from her hands with startled eyes. "How?" she whispered. "That's impossible, no one escapes my sight."

Harry again stepped closer to her. "I don't know, but you're beautiful," he whispered. He almost felt mesmerized by her. Harry could see that the curse was breaking, and he wondered if it had something to do with the ring that was stuck on his right ring finger. Maybe it allowed him to see through the curse and that was what was breaking it. Her hair that he had clearly seen as hundreds of snakes moments ago was now soft brown ringlets that cascaded down her back and shoulders.

Ashea first looked at her hands that had once been gray, but were now normal skin color and soft like the rest of her skin. She ran her hand through here hair and lifted it to her eye level. A wide smile came to her face as tears came to her eyes. "You've broken the curse," she cried as she looked up to Harry. "Thank you," she whispered and then threw her arms around him and kissed him quite deeply.

"I have no idea how I did it, but you're welcome," Harry said quietly after the kiss was broken. Ashea looked into his eyes and then backed away from him with a smile on her face. Harry smiled back.

"_You have given my mistress a gift. You have freed her without asking anything in return. So I shall give you a gift_," the large snake hissed as he circled around Harry and wrapped himself around him before Harry had a chance to move. Harry didn't even have a second to scream out before the snakes large fangs sunk into his shoulder and Harry felt the venom coursing through his body as his eyes lost focus. "_Relax and let my magic heal you. I am an ancient and powerful serpent, older then your ancestor. My mistress saved my life, now I shall save yours."_

Harry could feel himself loosing consciousness as the snake released him, but he didn't feel himself hit the cold ground as someone laid him gently down. He felt warmth spread through his body, before his mind caught up to him and he realized what the snake had done for him. Harry's eyes snapped open and his brow furrowed in confusion.

"You had a curse upon you as well it seems and my serpent has released you from it," Ashea said gently as she looked down at him. Harry felt tears come to his eyes and slide down his temple from the corner of his eyes. Ashea wiped them away with her soft fingers.

"I'm free…" Harry whispered before he gave into the blackness that was creeping into his vision and lost consciousness.

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"I have a bad feeling about this, James," Aska said for the fifth time as they followed the wolf deeper into the desert.

"Yes, you've said that," James said as he walked.

"I've been exiled, when they find out who I am…"

"I'll stand up for you. You helped me get home. I will help prove your innocents," Mikhail said with out stopping as she walked quickly beside James. "You have every right to return to your family as I have."

"That's another thing, how exactly are you going to prove my innocents. They think I've murdered someone from the royal family. That's a rather huge offense," Aska ranted.

"Do not worry," Mikhail said with a sly smile on her face, which only proved to irritate Aska. Ever since they had met, Mikhail had proved very adept at getting under Aska's skin. It was a source of amusement for both Nemaek and James.

"You know, you didn't have to come with us, Aska. In fact, you could have gone back to the nice solidarity of the Grove after dropping off my son," James said as he walked passed Aska who had stopped momentarily during his rant.

Aska moved to catch up with them. "Right, and let you lot have all the fun? I think not!"

Nemaek laughed from the air above them. "Something tells me that the two of you will never change."

"And why should we? It keeps us on our toes," Aska replied to the bird.

"Or, rather it keeps you at each other's throats," Mikhail laughed.

"Oi, I see something up ahead. I think we may have finally arrived," Nemaek said as he flew lower to the group.

"Didn't you say that before, and last time it was a mirage?" Aska remarked and Nemaek swatted him on the head with his long tail feathers.

"Go on and look for yourself if you don't believe me."

Aska and the others squinted and Mikhail squealed like a little girl. "Jay, it's the city. It's home. I'm home!"

James looked at her a little funny and Bill was still squinting into the distance. "I don't see anything," Bill commented.

Aska rolled his eyes. "You will, just wait till we get closer. We're still outside the wards."

After a minute the wolf they had been following stopped and looked back at the group. He shifted form, back into a man. "Wait here. I have to announce _you_," there was a smirk on the dark haired Aker's face as he turned to leave and Aska growled angrily before Mikhail put a hand on his shoulder.

"Relax, he's only part Aker, his opinion shouldn't matter to you," Mikhail whispered and looked at their guide's back with superiority.

The group watched as he disappeared and that was when James and Bill let out low whistles. "Wow, I didn't know we were so close," James said as the large gates to the city suddenly appeared to all of them.

Mikhail looked fondly at the city before them and then tears came to her eyes and James wrapped an arm around the girl. "It's alright, I'm sure they'll accept you back." James laid to rest one of Mikhail's fears and she smiled up at him.

It seemed like forever as they waited and Nemaek and Aska had started up another argument, but this time were joined by Bill, who had been laughing at the two. James looked back over the see of sand; already their tracks had vanished, swept away by the desert wind.

"James, are you alright?" Mikhail asked as she noticed the worry in his eyes.

"I just had a feeling, like something has happened to my son," James shook his head and looked back at the closed gates to the Aker city. "I just wish I knew where he was."

"I'm sure Harry's fine. That ring he had on. It was made by the Aker and the Aker are protectors. It will protect him, I'm certain of it," Mikhail said with conviction.

James looked down at her and nodded. "You're probably right," James said with a small smile on his lips and then looked up when the gates were opened. Aska, Bill, and Nemaek had stopped arguing to gape at who had come to greet them. They had sent a little girl.

The child looked upon them with crystal blue eyes, much like Mikhail's and she wore a long white dress that just touched the sand at her bare feet. Her long black hair was gathered in a loose bun on top of her head and curls spilled out of it and encompassed her young face. "Welcome travelers, I am Princess Corpora. I will lead you to the High Council. I would not suggest wandering off," the girl said with a sternness that none of them expected out of the child. As she said this two men appeared at her side, each held a staff made out of blue gold and radiated power.

"I really have a bad feeling about this," Aska whispered as he eyed the two guards that he knew well.

Mikhail was the first to step forward. She didn't appear fazed by the greeting or the guards and smiled to the others encouragingly. The others followed her, all eyeing the guards as four more took up posts around them.

The young princess led them through the city a fair ways. They entered into a square that held many people, all of them eyeing the new arrivals with some trepidation as they passed. They were stopped in front of a raised dais where four individuals sat, two men and two women.

One of the women stood up and pointed at Aska. "Seize him!" she ordered and James moved to block the guards before Aska shook his head and he stepped aside reluctantly. "You were ordered never to come back, under penalty of death, Aska de Aker," the woman said sternly and James looked to Aska with some confusion in his eyes.

"Is it just me or do you all have the same last name?" James muttered to Mikhail and she smirked slightly before she stepped forward in front of the council members.

"My name is Mikhail de Aker and as a royal I demand that this man be pardoned of any crime he may be charged with." There were several gasps from the crowd and all of the council members stood up in shock. A woman broke away from the crowd and ran towards Mikhail. James had his wand drawn, incase the woman wanted to harm her.

"Mikhail, by baby, you are alive," the woman collapsed to her knees and Mikhail was at her side with a smile of her face.

"Mother!" Mikhail exclaimed and threw her arms around the nearly distraught woman.

James watched the interaction with a sad smile on his face as he put his wand away just to have a wand pointed into his face seconds later. James stared at the wand and then the man that held it and his knees nearly gave out.

"Remus, stop!" Bill shouted before the man had a chance to get a curse out.

"Who are you?" Remus demanded with a growl to his voice. The guards had started to move closer to the group and Mikhail had stood and raised her wand at Remus' back.

James looked back to his old friend. "James Potter." James hadn't used that name in over fifteen years and it felt almost foreign coming out of his mouth.

"Impossible, James Potter is dead!"

"Remus, it is James, I was as shocked at you are, but believe it, he's James," Bill tried to reason with the angry werewolf, but the fire wasn't dying from the man's eyes.

"Drop your wand and get away from him now, or so help me Merlin, I don't care who you are, I will kill you," Mikhail growled and her eyes flashed dangerously.

The wind suddenly picked up in the square and a whirlwind of sand formed in the center. When it dispersed a woman with long brown hair was standing where the small cyclone had been and a large red and black snake was wrapped around her. Several screamed at seeing her and the guards moved away from James and the others to confront the new arrival. Before they had a chance a large black wolf appeared in front of her and snarled showing his sharp teeth with his emerald eyes blazing.

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A/N: Finally, a new chapter, and another soon to come. :)


	10. The Protected One

_Harry is given yet another prophecy from the great beyond. And Harry has an encounter with the Malfoy's._

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Nine – The Protected One 

Harry wasn't sure what he was going to find when he and Ashea appeared in the city square of the Aker city, but what he didn't expect was to find his father being held at wand point by Remus Lupin. What was the man doing here? It looked like Aska was in the middle of being arrested, and Harry was starting to laugh hysterically inside. Could they not all keep themselves out of trouble for two seconds? Harry noticed Bill was trying to break Remus away from James, without getting in the middle of it and Mikhail looked like she was about to murder Remus. Well that would not do. Nemaek had flown to the top of a near by building, away from all the wands. That didn't surprise Harry in the least.

What did surprised Harry and angered him greatly, was the multitude of glowing blue staffs that were now pointed at Ashea. Harry could find the rest of the whole ordeal laughable, but not the guards who were advancing on Ashea just as Harry was going to help his father out. Harry decided that his father could wait. He wasn't about to let the woman that had given him back his life come to harm. So maybe the way he came about it was a little forceful but it certainly got the point across.

Harry's ears laid back into his head and he growled more fully when the guards didn't stop their advance. He bared his teeth in warning. Harry was fully prepared to pounce on the nearest guard when he was suddenly grabbed firmly around the middle by Ashea. Cin, Ashea's serpent, as he had learned his name, hissed for him to stop and wrapped himself around him as well.

"No, don't hurt them, they are just afraid," Ashea whispered and Harry relaxed some. He nodded and stopped growling, but he didn't keep his eyes off the guards, who had stopped and were eyeing the three of them with trepidation in their eyes.

Cin slithered to the ground. "_May I suggest that you return to your human form_?" he hissed almost lazily. Harry looked up to Ashea and she nodded her consent. Harry paced back and forth a few times, deciding whether the guards were going to attack. He finally decided that they weren't, at least not yet.

Harry took another step and at the same time shifted out of the wolf. He was still shirtless and the desert sun was hot on his scared skin after spending most of the day in the coolness of the cave Ashea had called her home while she was cursed. A series of crystal blue runes ran like a necklace starting from where Cin had left his bite, going in a circle over his chest, shoulders and back. They were magically branded into his skin and only one with the knowledge of ancient runes would know what they truly meant. He was protected by the sands of the desert, by the serpents of all lands, and by magic itself.

Remus had lowered his wand at seeing the woman appear and the wolf protect her, but his wand was leveled on Harry as soon as he saw him. "What kind of sick joke is this?" He growled.

Harry pointed his hand at Remus and his wand was pulled from him and landed in Harry's hand. "Hello, Remus," Harry said patiently. "It's good to see you too." Ashea looked over the group and wrapped her arms around Harry's torso. She was trembling and Harry put his left arm around her shoulders. "_Perhaps you should tell them who you are_," Harry told her in Parseltongue. "_I don't believe they recognize you_."

Ashea nodded but didn't get the chance as Aska had broken way from the men holding his arms. He practically leapt over the guards and stopped to stand in front of Harry and Ashea. "Ashea, you're alive? How?" he asked and Ashea left Harry's arms and threw herself at Aska who wrapped his arms around Ashea and it seemed as if the entire population of the Aker was gaping. Harry scratched his head and looked down at Cin. He picked the large snake up, who wrapped himself around Harry's torso and arm. Harry shook his head. "You two know each other then?"

Ashea turned to Harry with tears in her eyes. "Aska is my brother, my twin," Ashea said quietly.

"Oh, well that makes sense," Harry said. "_Just figures that Aska would know her_," Harry hissed to the serpent and Cin simply blinked at the two.

"_Seems you have helped my mistress again_," Cin hissed back. "_First the curse and now you have given her back her family_."

"Yes, but the two of you have helped me so much more," Harry whispered in English. He smiled at Ashea, who smiled back before hugging her rather shocked brother again.

James was looking at Harry, and appeared not to know whether to hug his son or kill him. "Where have you been?" James settled on confusion. "What's up with the snake? Who's the girl? And I never said you could get another tattoo," James almost pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. Harry was about to laugh aloud when he noticed Remus. He'd almost forgotten he was there. What was he doing here?

Harry looked to his father and the others. Remus was gaping at Harry with confusion and anger in his eyes. "H-how is this possible?" Remus finally managed to stammer out as he took a step back.

Harry for his part basically ignored the question as he replied. "It is a very long story. I have a feeling that I just returned someone important," Harry chuckled as he approached James. A whole swarm of Aker had huddled around Aska and Ashea with all kinds of questions as he left the two. Harry knew Ashea was safe with Aska so had slightly let his guard down. Though, he still eyed the guards.

Bill, Mikhail, and a woman Harry didn't know, but looked an awful lot like Mikhail were openly staring at Cin and Harry chuckled. "Harry you do realize that you have a rather large snake wrapped around you," Bill said quietly as he pointed out the obvious. "And I don't think that tattoo is a common one."

Harry smiled, a genuine smile, and like hours ago, when he had realized what Cin had done to him, tears came to his eyes. "Yes," Harry answered. "And I owe him my life, everything." Harry rolled his left arm over and exposed his forearm. "A tattoo to replace the one I lost, though I like the feel of this one better and it didn't hurt as much either."

It only took a moment for James' eyes to widen in disbelief as he ignored everything his son was saying as his entire attention was focused on Harry's bare, blemish free, left forearm. "Harry, how?"

"And that's not all. It's gone, the darkness, the link, everything!" A tear rolled down his cheek. "Dad, I'm free…"

James did hug his son then. Cin had just enough time to drop to the ground before James had Harry wrapped in a crushing hug that Harry returned. Mikhail smiled at the two, her own tears coming to her eyes.

There was suddenly a sharp crack and Harry and James broke apart and watched at the crowd around them immediately parted. A man, not much older then James and Remus, with short black hair and blue eyes that were set in a stern expression, walked with a limp towards the center of the square. He wore silver robes and carried a staff, much like the guards carried, but this one had runes etched up and down it.

"I'd ask what is going on here," he said lightly. "But I have already guessed," he said with a smirk. "Welcome back Aska, welcome back Ashea. It is good to see my brother and sister alive and well."

Aska and Ashea smiled but didn't greet the man as they had greeted each other. "Thank you, Fatin," they said in unison.

The man turned from them and a smile touched his lips. "Welcome back my daughter," Fatin said and Mikhail ran into the man's arms. There were gasps from the crowd; it was evident that no one dared do such a thing. After a moment Fatin released Mikhail and moved to stand in front of Harry, James, and Bill. "You have brought me back my family. As king of the Aker, I thank you and owe you a dept of gratitude…" Fatin immediately cut off his own thanks as he took in Harry, more specifically the runes etched into his skin. "You are the Protected One!" Fatin exclaimed and then he knelt down in front of Harry. What followed was every person in the square kneeling as well, with the exception of James, Bill and Remus, who were in complete shock. Even Aska, Ashea, and Mikhail had knelt.

"Well this certainly wasn't what I expected when I woke up this morning," Harry murmured as he looked over to his father with wide eyes, who stared back at him and shrugged. Harry looked back down to Fatin. "Umm, right, you can get up and then explain. The Protected One, what are you talking about?"

Fatin stood, as did the rest of the Aker. "You do not know? Those runes you bare, they are the mark of the Protected One. It is an ancient prophecy." Harry fought not to roll his eyes, not another prophecy. "_Given by Good, marked by Evil. The symbols he bares will explain all; protected by the sands of the desert, by the serpents of all lands, and by magic herself. He will have seen much and know all he sees and he shall be named the Protected One. He will bring peace to the lands of his kin, and devastation to it's enemies._"

"Huh," Harry simply shrugged as his mind went over the new prophecy. He glanced to his father beside him, Remus behind him, and Bill on James' other side. They were all looking to see his reaction. "Well at least it's good news this time," Harry finally said.

xxxxxxxxxx

Harry lay in bed in his hotel suite in Cairo. Cin was wound into a pile on his chest sleeping and Harry was staring at the ceiling in deep thought. Not caring of the weight from the serpent, he was used to it. Bill had asked him to return to England with him again the night before. Harry had told him that he would think about it. Bill had yet to tell anyone that he was alive and he and Remus agreed that they would leave it up to Harry. But Harry wasn't sure he wanted anyone to know that he was alive. He was finally free and going back just seemed impossible to him at the moment.

"_Harry, you are agitated_," Cin suddenly hissed, startling Harry from his thoughts as he uncurled himself and left Harry's chest.

"_I'm sorry Cin, I was just thinking about what Bill and Remus said last night._"

"_About you going home, it would not seem the wisest decision. From what I saw of your life when I healed you; your enemies are strong and numerous. You have only just recovered from your injuries and the leaders of your land would wish to capture you for the crimes you committed when you were not well. Think more on it, I believe you should. Rushing to a home that may not want you back is ill advised,_" Cin gave all the reasons why he should not return, but Harry had a counter for all of them.

"_The ministry has no proof that I committed any crimes without the presence of my Dark Mark. No one saw me commit them and the Mark is supposed to be permanent and Luminous can be reasoned with. As for Voldemort, he no longer has any control over me and the rest could not harm me, I'm much too powerful for them. I have no reason not to go back. The only thing that has kept me away is fear from myself, and the harm I might do on others, but you have saved me from that_," Harry said quietly.

"_It sounds as if you have already made up your mind._" Cin hissed.

"Perhaps I have," Harry whispered in English.

"_I will go with you. My mistress no longer needs me, she has her family now._"

Harry rolled out of bed. The sun was just starting to come up on the horizon. "_Thank you Cin, I will leave you to sleep for a few more hours, I need some air_," Harry said as he threw on a pair of loose linen black pants and a white shirt, his training clothes. "_Tell anyone that asks that I went for a walk_," Harry mumbled as he left his room.

"_Harry, you do realize that you are the only one besides Ashea that I can talk to, right_?" Harry heard Cin say behind him as he left the room and Harry lightly chuckled.

Their hotel suite was starting to get a little crowded, Harry observed, as he walked passed the three full couches that held the sleeping forms of Bill, Remus, and Aska. It had been a week since they had journeyed back to Cairo from the Aker City, where they had spent a week and his seventeenth birthday. He was finally legal.

Remus and Bill had decided to stay with them for a while. Bill had meant to leave upon their return to Cairo, but he hadn't and Harry was beginning to wonder why. He hadn't asked him, but he assumed it was because he wanted to return to England with Harry. Remus wasn't due back for another few days himself, he had been sent to enlist the help of the Aker as possible allies. Harry was rather amused when the Aker had refused but then sworn their allegiance to him as the Protected One. They were people of the desert, the sands of the desert protected Harry so they would also protect Harry.

In fact that was why Aska was still with them, or one of the reasons. Fatin had sent him to be Harry's bodyguard. Harry had laughed the entire way back to Cairo, as that was also what Riemann had sent Aska with Harry for. Needless to say Aska wasn't entirely happy with the situation and had made up several other excuses for having to go with Harry to cover up the main one.

Mikhail had also returned with them, now that she knew how to go home whenever she wanted she wasn't as determined to stay. Her family knew she was alive and that had been all she really wanted. With her parent's permission and as they saw that she had made a family with James over the last year, she decided to stay with James and Harry. She also claimed that they would not be able to stay out of trouble without her.

Ashea had come to stay with them in Cairo, but Harry knew that she would return to the Aker when they left as the Aker City was more a home to her then it was to her niece and brother. Add James, Nemaek, Cin and himself and yes, the suite was certainly getting crowded.

Harry stopped as he was passing the couch that Aska was sprawled out on. Aska's bag and both his sword and the Sword of Slytherin were leaning against the edge of it. Harry took the Sword of Slytherin and silently left the room and the hotel. Harry glamoured the sword after he had strapped it to his back. It was time to train again. It had been a long time since he had trained the way Merlin's books had taught him. If he was going to return home, he was going to be fit to do so.

As soon as Harry had left the hotel he had started running. Harry had made it all the way to Sedes Isle and he wasn't even tired yet. Harry entered the Isle intent on finding breakfast before heading back to the hotel. He walked into a tavern, which was much like Diagon Alley's, Leaky Caldron. He ordered a cup of tea and a plate of eggs, toast, and bacon before he sat down at one of the tables. The tavern wasn't overly full as it was still quite early and most patrons weren't awake at this our.

Harry had just been served when several individuals walked into the tavern. Harry recognized one of them immediately. Lucius Malfoy. Harry inched for the sword on his back, but stopped when he also recognized one of the people with him. Draco.

"Dad, why are we even here?" The younger blond asked and Harry listened intently as they all sat a couple tables away from him.

"Draco, you know very well that I can not reveal everything to you," Lucius replied with a drawl and Draco rolled his eyes. "I am picking up something for the Dark Lord that is all I can say here. You will know when we return, what it is." Draco crossed his arms over his chest, but didn't ask further questions.

Harry didn't recognize the others with them, but he was certain that they were also Death Eaters. It was unsettling that they were here in Cairo and Harry was determined to find out what Lucius was after. He waited while they ate their own meals, and picked at his own. As he had paid when he had ordered his food, he was ready to follow them as soon as they were through.

Harry followed them out of the tavern and passed them as if he was going about his own business, but watched them out of the corner of his eye. Harry was glad that he had mastered his metamorphic abilities. With the connection from Voldemort gone, he had even been able to hide his curse scar. Now no one could recognize him as Harry Potter, if he didn't want them too. Harry stayed close by the group. He used his new seer abilities to see where they would go next as they came to turns and streets in the Isle, so it looked as if they were following him. He knew that his mastering of being a seer was due to the ring, but as he couldn't remove it, even with Ashea and Cin's help, he had excepted it as a part of him that would always be there. And it allowed him to travel using the winds and sand and to turn into a wolf, so he wasn't complaining too much.

Harry stopped when he got a glimpse of what shop they were going to go into. It was the same that he had gotten the ring in. Harry hurriedly entered the shop. Of course the familiar shop owner did not recognize him as he held a different appearance today, and greeted him in a friendly manner.

"What can I do for you young sir? Rather early to be out and about." Harry smiled at the man, as he saw out of the corner of his eye that the group of Death Eaters were just coming to the shop.

"Actually, I'm going to wait over there. My _friends_ are going to come into this shop looking for something; I want to know what it is. Please, if you will, don't alert them to my presence. They don't know I'm here," Harry said politely with a smile still on his face.

"Ah, they want to surprise you, and you don't like being surprised. I can understand that," the shop owner said.

"Something like that. That's them," Harry said as he moved behind one of the nearer shelves and disillusioned himself, just as Lucius and three others entered the shop. Draco and two others stayed outside. Six of them, if he had to fight them; they wouldn't be a problem; seven if Draco had turned into his father. But he'd rather not fight Draco, they may not be friends, but he didn't want him to be an enemy. Draco was smart; he had a lot in his life to live for. Harry didn't want to see the boy throw it all away for Voldemort.

"Good morning, how may I help you gentlemen?" The shopkeeper asked politely.

"I am looking for a ring," Lucius said and Harry's attention perked up, surely he wasn't looking for the same one he had glued to his right ring finger.

"I have many rings, sir, anything specific?"

"It has a wolf on it and two snakes," Lucius pulled from his pocket a piece of parchment and handed it to the shopkeeper.

The man's eyes widened at seeing the picture of the ring that Harry had bought from him. "A young man bought this ring a couple of weeks ago. I was most startled; as it was one of my most expensive items. I am very sorry that I can not help you." The shopkeeper handed the parchment back.

Lucius looked to be trying to keep his temper in check. "Do you know what this man looked like?" Lucius said practically through clenched teeth.

"He was rather ordinary; tanned skin, light brown hair. I'd never seen him before. He did have a girl with him though, looked like a local, an Aker actually. She had the black hair and crystal blue eyes that they are famous for, though I couldn't be sure. They rarely do business with my shop."

Lucius nodded. "Thank you," Lucius forced himself to say and then left the shop. Harry decided that he was going to have a little bit of fun with the man. Harry quickly exited the shop saying his thanks as he left. As soon as he was outside, Harry shifted his appearance so that he had the long brown hair from a couple weeks before. It wasn't hard as he had been sporting black hair just moments ago.

The group had already started walking away so Harry used his ability to travel by sand and wind and appeared right in their path. "Hello, Death Eaters," Harry said cheerfully as he appeared with his arms crossed over his chest. The group before him stopped and all pulled out their wands. Harry simply smirked. "Now, now, no need for those," Harry whispered and then he used his magic and called all the wands to him. Seven wands flew out of the Death Eater's hands and landed at Harry's feet.

"Who are you?" Lucius demanded.

"My name is of no consequence to you. I was just wondering why you were looking for my ring moments ago. If it was for your master, I can tell you now that it would not serve him. It has only one master and that is me," Harry said with a smirk on his face.

"Then we will just have to kill you." Lucius nodded slightly and all but Draco drew out hidden wands and cast the killing curse at him. Harry had just enough time to disappear and reappear behind the lot in a whirlwind of sand. These Death Eaters were smarter then the old ones.

Harry drew Slytherin's sword from it's scabbard. "You missed me Lucius, but then you always do don't you," Harry growled and his emerald eyes flashed dangerously. "Perhaps it's time you found a new master, you are only going to die with this one," Harry wasn't speaking to the group, just Draco, who had retrieved his wand and was standing at the back of the group who had just spun around.

"Who are you?" Lucius demanded again as his eyes widened at the sight of the sword Harry held.

"The true descendant of Salazar Slytherin…" Harry said as he waved his hand around his head, and just as he had done to his father, ropes formed around the Death Eaters and they all fell to the ground in their struggles to get free, "and the Heir of Merlin."

Harry dropped the tip of Slytherin's blade by Lucius' throat and the man looked wide-eyed at the sharp blade as he stopped struggling. "You are going to be arrested now, Lucius, and I've heard that Egypt's prison is much more secure then our own Azkaban. I hope you have a nice stay there, as you are going to be there for a very long time.

Harry stood up and released the bonds on Draco; the young man sprang to his feet and pointed his wand at Harry. "Draco Malfoy. You are still young; I will give you the same warning I did back in December. Leave Voldemort's service, it will serve you no good and your master will die at the my hands."

Draco lowered his wand. "It's true then, you are alive. If I have your protection, Harry, you have an ally."

"Allies I have Draco. You have my protection as long as you no longer serve Voldemort," Harry said as he sheathed Slytherin's sword.

"No! Draco, your master is the Dark Lord! You can not turn your back on him!" Lucius growled from his position on the ground. "Kill him, Draco!"

Draco looked down to his father with something akin to pity. "Why? He's going to win. There's no way in hell I'm going against him. You have my word, Harry; I will no longer serve Voldemort."

Harry smirked down at Lucius, as Draco said the Dark Lords name. "You see Lucius, Voldemort doesn't hold the power he thinks he does. When one of his own no longer fears him enough to say his name, one can see these things," Harry whispered and then walked out from amongst the fallen group of struggling Death Eaters. "Come on Draco, Cairo's Aurors are coming and I don't think you want to be found amongst them.

Draco followed Harry and they rounded a corner just as over a dozen Aurors came onto the street they were just on. Harry was actually amazed. Draco didn't look behind him once and only raised an eyebrow at Harry as he cast a quick spell as they left. Harry, in his infinite sorted wisdom, conjured a sign with an arrow pointed down at the Death Eaters that said, '**_Voldemort's Death Eaters, You're Welcome_**,' in big green shining letters. Harry smirked smugly as they left.

They had just walked out of Sedes Isle when Draco finally spoke. "I'm surprised that you didn't turn me in with my father. Merlin knows I deserve it," he said quietly.

Harry didn't show any outward signs that he had heard Draco and he kept walking and looking forward as he spoke after a full minute. "I believe in second chances, Draco. Your father's had too many of them. You are still young, you're smart, and you have many opportunities ahead of you. Contrary to popular belief, Draco, I don't hate you. I believe that you could do great things in this world, but not by following someone like Voldemort, who's only goal is to rid the world of anyone that doesn't fit his standards."

It was another couple blocks before Draco spoke again. "You don't mind if I stay with you for a while, do you? I don't fancy going back and then being hunted down by Voldemort for turning on him."

Harry shrugged. "I don't mind, though you may find it a little over crowded, I certainly am."

"Harry, you've shared a dorm with Crabbe and Goyle, it can't be that crowded."

Harry just laughed at that. "You'll see; you haven't shared a hotel suite with Aska and Nemaek."

"Who is Aska and Nemaek?" Draco asked and Harry just laughed and shook his head as he silently thought, '_and then you have to add James, Bill, Remus, Ashea, and Mikhail. Oh and he couldn't forget Cin._'

xxxxxxxxxx

A/N: Sorry it's been so long to get this chapter out, I've been without internet, bloody sucks, but now I'm back and will have another chapter out shortly. :)


	11. A Plight in Circumstance

_Harry brings Draco Malfoy back to the hotel and has an unexpected confrontation with his dad. Decisions are made, they are returning to Germany._

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Ten – A Plight in Circumstance

Harry and Draco arrived back at the hotel just as the clock in the lobby sounded that it was eight o'clock in the morning. Harry had been gone much longer then he had expected to be, but hopefully his dad wouldn't scold him too much. Not that a scolding from James Potter was anything to be frightened off, especially compared to Molly Weasley, and it didn't help matters any that Harry could only crack up laughing when he tried.

Harry was about to open the hotel door when he turned back to Draco. "You may be in some shock after this, just remember that the world thinks I'm dead too," Harry said and as he opened the door and shifted back into his Harry appearance.

"Exactly what's that supposed to mean? And how long have you been a metamorphmagus anyways?" Draco asked but Harry ignored it as he unlocked the door with his key and opened it. Harry stepped in and was immediately accosted by so many questions that he grabbed his head with his hands as if he were in agony. The questions stopped abruptly.

"Harry, are you alright, is it Voldemort?" Remus asked immediately and Harry lifted his head and smirked.

"No, Remus, remember I'm free of that bastard. I just wanted you to all shut up. Now that you have, I have had a very busy morning, Death Eaters and all, and would like to come into _my_ hotel suite and relax for a moment and then perhaps I'll explain," Harry said as he moved further into the room. "Come in Draco, I think I've got the mutts to settle down," Harry murmured the last under his breath, so that only Draco could hear and the blond boy smirked as he took in the people in the room. "I did say it was crowded."

"Where have you been? And what do you mean your Hotel suite; it's paid for out of…" James started, but Harry interrupted.

"_My_ Gringotts volt, that I so kindly allowed _you_ access to," Harry said as he led Draco to the couches.

James scowled; there was no argument to be had there. The volt did belong to his son, as he had left it to him in his will. James just shut up for the moment.

Not everyone was there, Harry noted. Though, with the interrogation he got when he walked into the room, they might as well have been. It looked like only Remus, Bill, Aska, and James were up; the doors to the girl's rooms were shut and Nemaek was probably still sleeping in James' room, as was Cin in Harry's room.

Harry sat down on one of the couches and Draco joined him, while the four adults took up the other two. "So now that we're all comfy, care to explain where you've been, and why you've had a busy morning, Death Eaters and all, and who that is?" James asked, eyeing Draco suspiciously.

Harry smiled. "Sure, but first. Draco, you know Remus Lupin, of course. The red head sitting next to him is Bill Weasley, Ron's oldest brother. That," Harry pointed to Aska. "Is Aska de Aker, an Aker, one of their princes actually; and the dark haired one that looks so much like yours truly, is my father, James Potter."

"James Potter!" Draco exclaimed and then he stopped himself from getting too excited over the fact that James was alive. Harry nearly laughed at the abrupt change in manner. "I understand now, though I am curious as to how, but you can tell me later, as well as how you are alive."

Harry nodded and was about to go on when Remus spoke interrupting him. "What is Mr. Malfoy doing here, Harry?" James face started to turn red at hearing Draco's last name but no one noticed.

"I was just about to explain that. I went for a run this morning after having a talk with Cin, he was supposed to tell you all where I was, or at least Ashea, but apparently she's not up yet, or I'm sure he would have," Harry said nonchalantly.

"Who's Cin?" Draco asked.

"Cin's a snake, a really large one and about as big as Nagini; but much older and much more powerful. Probably smarter too," Harry quickly explained. "Anyways, I get to Sedes Isle and decide that I was going to stop and have breakfast before coming back here. So I did and who do you think comes strolling into the very tavern where I am eating; Lucius Malfoy and a bunch of Death Eaters. So I over hear that they are there to collect something for our dear friend Lord Voldemort and decided to follow them. Actually, I probably would have had no idea what they were up too if Draco here hadn't been whining about lack of information…"

"I don't whine. I…" Draco couldn't think of a good comeback. "I don't whine," he repeated as he crossed his arms over his chest. Harry smirked as the boy almost appeared to be pouting, in a manly way of course.

"As I was saying, had Draco not been whining about lack of information I would have not known that they were after anything. So I followed them, being a seer really comes in handy when following people, by the way. I made it look like they were following me. So I find out that they were heading to this shop. Curious, I go inside and hide in one of the rows. You see, they were after something that I bought, just two weeks ago." Harry held up his right hand and revealed the ring.

"Is that what my father was after? Awfully small, is it really that powerful?" Draco asked as he surveyed the ring.

Harry nodded slightly. "It is for me, gives me loads of abilities, but I don't think that it would help Voldemort in the least. It seems only to have one master, so I guess it's stuck with me as I'm stuck with it. I can't take it off." Draco nodded. "So, I decided that I was going to pull a Merlin on Lucius and his flock of Death Eaters and lassoed and bound them and left them for the Aurors to claim, and then we came back here, end of story," Harry finished his story.

"With a big sign pointing at them that said '_Voldemort's Death Eaters, You're Welcome_,' floating above them," Draco put in with a snort. Aska, Remus, and Bill choked on a laugh at that. "I don't think I've ever seen my father so livid. You are sure that he won't be getting out of prison, aren't you?" Draco asked after a moment with a slight nervousness in his voice.

"With the way my life is going I can't be certain of anything Draco, but I can guarantee that he will be stuck there for quite a while," Harry said.

"You still haven't explained why a _Malfoy_ is sitting in our hotel suite," James said quite stonily and Harry was surprised and angered by that. His dad didn't even know Draco. Remus, Aska, and Bill looked at James with the same surprise; none of them had expected it either.

"Draco is not his father. We may not be best friends, but we aren't enemies! I gave him another chance and now he doesn't really have anywhere else to go. If he goes back to England, Voldemort will find and kill him. I for one don't want to see that happen, enough people have died because of Voldemort already!" Harry stood up for his old dorm mate, literally. Harry had stood from the couch and towered over his father.

"He is a Malfoy," James spat icily standing as well. Harry couldn't believe his dad was acting like this.

"So what, that automatically makes him a bad person, does it?" Harry nearly growled. "Compared to me, your own son, Draco has done little wrong!"

"This is not about you…" James began, but Harry cut him off his voice raising with his anger, that was no longer just smoldering.

"It may as well should be. You don't know half the stuff I did while under Voldemort's control. I killed people, I tortured them to death! I enjoyed it!" Harry spat. "Merlin, I even raped a girl in front of her mother and then I left her an orphan…" Tears came to Harry's eyes as he remembered what he had done. Even Draco didn't know of that incident and Harry had, short of using the Obliviation Charm on himself, tried to block it from his memory. He had never even told Dumbledore.

Those around him looked at Harry as if they didn't know him, Harry didn't look at any of them though; he didn't want to see the looks in their eyes.

"Draco has done nothing compared to me. If his father was good for anything it was sheltering him from what real Death Eaters do," Harry said the last quietly as he looked back at his father.

Draco had remained quiet throughout the whole shouting match and was looking shaken, between Harry, who was trembling with his fists clenched, and James who was looking rather pale and shocked at Harry's words. "I never knew," Draco said quietly. "I never knew you had to do that. I never knew you went on that many raids."

"More then I care to remember," Harry said quietly as he sat back down. He shifted slightly as Slytherin's Sword, which was still disillusioned on his back, prevented him from sitting fully. Aska noticed the movement and looked to his bag and sword on the floor at the end of the couch Harry and Draco were sitting on.

Mikhail and Ashea, who had been awoken by Harry and James' shouting came out of their rooms at that moment, followed by Nemaek who landed on the couch in back of James, which was why Harry didn't hear Aska's question about the sword the first time he said it, but Remus did and he looked between Aska and Harry questioningly. Harry stood as the two women came towards them, Draco did as well.

"What on earth is going on here?" Ashea asked quietly. "Why are you shouting?"

"I brought back a friend and Dad doesn't seem to like him because of his name," Harry said angrily. "I thought, of all people, my dad wouldn't have prejudices with a name, after all his best friend was Sirius Black!"

Ashea walked over to Harry and put a calming hand on his shoulder Harry calmed down considerably at her gentle touch. "Please calm down, Harry. I'm sure he has a reason." Ashea said and looked to James.

James was still looking at his son as if he had never seen him before; he had no idea Harry had been forced to do all that. He knew he was a Death Eater, but he never considered how much of a Death Eater his son was.

"He's a Malfoy," said a small voice, very quiet that not everyone heard. Harry did and he looked to Mikhail, who had been the one who said it.

"How did you…" Harry began, but was cut off by Draco.

"Hello, Mikhail," Draco said quietly looking the girl straight in the eyes.

Mikhail backed up. "Harry, how could you bring him here?" Mikhail's voice shook as she continued to back away.

Harry shook his head; he was at that moment very confused. How did they know each other? "What, how?" Harry looked at Draco and noticed that the blond was shaking and had gone very pale.

"I didn't want too," Draco said quietly, his voice not showing the tremble that was shaking his fists. "It was part of my initiation. Both my father and Voldemort were there. I was supposed to kill her, I couldn't and I was punished for it," Draco sat back down on the couch and put his head in his hand. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Harry suddenly understood, but he didn't hold it against Draco, he had done worse, even if it were while he was consumed in Dark Magic. It was still him and he remembered all of it. Harry had a choice to make. His father was still looking at him with a repulsed expression on his face and Mikhail looked like she now hated him because he had brought Draco here. Did he stand beside Draco or stand beside Mikhail and his father?

Harry looked down at Draco and knew. They would never be best friends, but Harry connected with the boy. Draco knew what it was like to be a Death Eater, he knew because that was what his father had always wanted him to be, and like Harry, he didn't have a real choice in the matter. It was either go against his father and the Dark Lord and run, or do what he could with what life gave him. Harry put a hand on Draco's shoulder as he stood beside him.

Harry looked back to his father. "He had no choice, he's lucky the Dark Lord didn't kill him for not killing her." Harry knew he sounded cold at that, but it was the truth. Draco looked up at Harry; this was three times today that Harry had stood up for him. "I've seen initiations that ended with them being killed because they couldn't or wouldn't do as _he_ commanded. I'm sorry Mikhail for whatever he was forced to do to you, but he deserves another chance. If you can't except Draco for who he is and not what he was then we'll leave, and I mean him and me," Harry said resolutely.

He was tired of all the prejudice against him and others that came from the group around him. The only one's who didn't share with their ideas was Ashea, Cin, and Nemaek. Harry didn't want to know how the other young Death Eaters, who Harry had gotten to know well, would appear in their eyes or the Order's for that matter. It was why Harry didn't tell Dumbledore their names.

There was complete silence at Harry's words; they weren't harsh; they weren't angered; they were calm, and they were certain. He would leave if he had to.

James looked between his son and Draco and then to Mikhail. Mikhail looked at Draco and saw nothing of the boy that had harmed her. The sadness in his gray eyes she remembered well. Then, she had been too scared for her life, but now that she saw it again, she could tell that he had not wanted to do it. It had been true; his father had given him great pain when he had not killed her. She hadn't understood it then, but now she did.

"You are no longer a servant of that vile creature." It wasn't a question that came from Mikhail, it was a statement. "I can not forgive you for what you did then, but I can accept that who you are now is not who you were back then."

Draco nodded and James was about to give his own apologies but was suddenly interrupted by Aska as Nemaek flew from James' room.

"Where's your sword, Harry?" Aska asked for a second time, but this time Harry heard.

"Sword?" asked James. "What sword?" Of course James didn't know that Aska had been carrying Slytherin's Sword for Harry. Harry had only taken it with him this morning because their practice swords were back in Germany and he wanted to practice with something on the roof after his run. It fortunately had also provided Harry with a means to scare the Death Eaters.

"The sword Riemann gave him before he left the grove. Your sword, my father's sword," Nemaek answered from behind James. Draco eyed the bird with wide eyes; of course he'd never seen a talking ash phoenix before.

"Salazar's sword? What are you doing with that?" James asked Harry.

Harry disillusioned the sword on his back. "I was going to practice with it up on the roof, but ran into Draco instead, I'll have to practice in the Dueling room when we get back to Germany tomorrow," Harry stated and everyone stared at him. "What? Oh come on. You all don't think I've turned dark again do you? It's only a sword, granted a powerful one and an old one, but still just a sword."

"No, Harry, you just said that we were going back to Germany tomorrow," Nemaek said and Harry nodded.

"That I did, and once the summer is over, and not sooner, I will be returning to Hogwarts. I proved to Cin and myself this morning that I no longer have any excuses," Harry stated with a sigh and Remus and Bill smiled. "Though that doesn't mean that I want anyone to know I'm coming back before hand. I believe that life has thrown at me many… surprises, and that it is everyone else's turn to be surprised."

"Surprised, they're all going to go into shock, and it will be even more hilarious when you bring back your dead dad," Draco couldn't help blurt out.

Harry looked at Draco with a raised eyebrow as did James. "Who said anything about me going back to Hogwarts," James said a little irritated. He was still uncomfortable with all he had learned about his son and having Draco there with them.

Harry looked to James. "You know dad, with two heirs of Merlin at Hogwarts, Voldemort will have no chance in hell, and even as a Gryffindor I know you can't wait to see all of their faces. You are a Marauder after all."

James looked at Remus and then his son and everyone else, he rolled his eyes. "I'll think about it, until then, it's back to Germany with us. Though I'm not so sure everyone will fit in my flat."

Harry chuckled at that. It didn't completely alleviate the tense environment, but he had slipped that they were going back just for a way to change the subject. No doubt, they would all be sitting down and having a serious discussion either at some point before the day was through or as soon as they returned to Germany. Harry in some ways hoped it was the latter.

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A/N: I know, not much happened in this chapter, but next many things will ensue and they will have returned to Heidelberg.


	12. Of Odium and Ire

_Harry and Draco share a common interest and talent. Harry draws his wand on his father and has another brush with the Killing Curse._

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Eleven - Of Odium and Ire

Draco threw a book at Harry and Harry caught it flawlessly as he had asked to see what Draco was reading. For all the time they had spent as dorm mates they had really never gotten to know each other. Sure they had talked, but Harry had been closer to the others, possibly because of all of them, Draco had been the enemy. The others, with the exception of Crabbe and Goyle had never really held anything other then him being a Gryffindor against him, even Nott with his father also being a Death Eater. But Draco had held his father's hatred of him against Harry from the first moment that Harry had refused his friendship. Had Harry accepted back then, perhaps both of their live would have been completely different. But that was then and this was now and Harry was more open to knowing Draco for more then who his father had wanted him to be. He just wished his father was as well.

James was not coming any closer to accepting that Draco was not his father and that he was changed from who he used to be. He was not coming any closer to accepting that Draco was living under the same roof as them, and he was not coming any closer to being anywhere near civil with the young man. Harry was still fuming about all the arguments that had ensued about Draco being there. His dad had out right refused to let Draco in the Dueling room even with Harry. And he had made it abundantly clear that Draco was not to be left alone at any time. He was treating Draco almost like a prisoner and Harry was very close to blowing up at him. Luckily no one else was, though Mikhail always kept a certain distance from him.

Harry looked at the cover of the book Draco had tossed him and cocked his head to the side in curiosity. "What's this, this is a Muggle book isn't it?" Harry asked as he looked up at Draco.

"Sure is, and before you ask what I'm doing with it, you'd be amazed at how many wizards would not expect someone to come up to them and grab their hand and flip them over their shoulder," Draco answered. "Or punch them in the face instead of using their wand to knock them out."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Draco Malfoy practices Muggle Martial arts? The world has surely come to an end," Harry laughed.

Draco rolled his eyes. "What else did you think I did in the prefect's bathroom every night? It wasn't because the girl's bathroom has an attaching door, though that was some of the reason. No seriously though, I've been practicing Martial Arts since I was kid. Of course, if my father had ever found out, I probably would have been hung," Draco said with a grimace. "My mother, as much as she is self-absorbing, got me involved in it when I was six. Said something about the discipline, I've been doing it ever since. Father just thought I was taking extra lessons."

"You've been doing Martial Arts since you were six and you let Hermione Granger slap you in the face?" Harry blurted out.

"I was rather surprised by that too, didn't even see it coming. Though looking back on it, I did deserve it some didn't I?" Malfoy shrugged. "Though, she was quite emotional that year. Women troubles I'm sure," Draco smirked and Harry shook his head trying to keep the smirk off his own face and failing. It was true, between the stress with all her classes and using the time turner, she was very emotional that year.

"So, Dad's working in the shop downstairs, care for a bit of sparring while everyone else is out. I'd like to see what you've got. No magic, cause we'd all know I'd kick your ass with that," Harry said with a wicked grin on his face as he motioned to the Dueling Room.

Draco eyed the closed door to the room and then looked back at Harry, the same grin forming on his lips. "You're on, Potter!" Draco said as he leaped over the back of the couch, with a speed that Harry had only seen once and that was the day that they had almost gotten caught by Dumbledore and Snape after meeting with Voldemort right after Halloween. This was going to be fun.

Harry followed Draco across the room and disabled the ward his dad had put in place. His dad had probably put it up to keep Draco out, he had done it without Harry's knowledge, but there wasn't much magic wise that could slip pass Harry's attention these days.

Cin, who had been curled up on the couch that Draco had been sitting on raised himself up to look at Harry. "_What are you doing young master_?" He hissed just as Harry had taken down the ward.

Harry looked back at him. "_We're going to practice fight, care to watch_?" Harry hissed back and the snake nodded and slithered from his place to follow the boys into the Dueling Room.

"I hate it when you do that. Do you know how creepy it is?" Draco said as he walked into the room.

"You weren't complaining during all the times I got Nagini off your back when she wanted to eat you," Harry laughed. "In fact I remember you saying that you wish you had the talent too."

"You never told me she wanted to eat me!" Draco exclaimed and this just made Harry laugh harder at his old nemesis. "Alright, Potter, you're asking for it." Draco pushed up his sleeves and took an immediate and surprisingly familiar fighting stance. It was the same one Harry learned from Merlin's Diaries.

Harry took the same stance, wondering if the fighting style he had learned was similar. "Okay, Malfoy, show me what you've got."

Draco let Harry make the first move, waiting in typical Slytherin fashion to see what was to come. He, too Harry's surprise blocked Harry's hand and then his foot and then avoided the next punch easily before attacking himself. Harry was amazed at the grace and speed that Draco could move with. Never had he seen him move like this. Harry blocked and avoided, trying to get his own attacks in but Draco blocked everything and Harry was hard pressed to keep up. Who the hell had he learned from, Merlin? There fighting styles were almost identical.

It was almost twenty minutes later when the two collapsed onto the matted floor, exhausted. They had called it a draw. Neither of them were going to win, they were too equally matched.

Harry, breathing just as heavily as Draco, looked over at the blond. "Who the hell taught you?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing? Did my sensei teach you? He's a wizard, do you know him? Alexander Bonduel?" Draco breathed out.

"No, I learned from Merlin's Diaries, but his name's familiar. I think one of his ancestors may have owned some of Merlin's Diaries for a while. Perhaps it was taught down the family," Harry said tiredly.

Draco nodded. "He did say that he had learned it from his grandfather, who had learned it from his father, and so on." Draco suddenly laughed. "Isn't it ironic that we have both know how to fight all this time and yet we never once practiced with each other?"

Harry laughed too, "More surprising that we never used it on one another."

"Yeah, that too," Draco stretched and got to his feet. "We should do some katas before our muscles freeze up or we're going to be in a hell of a lot of pain later."

Harry nodded as he got up himself. It had been awhile since he had done what Draco referred to as a kata. Merlin had called them that too, but Harry referred to them as physical meditation as that was what it was for him. It allowed him to put his mind at peace. As with all katas there was a basic routine to them, but every kata is different and specific to the person. Harry's was mentally taxing but allowed his body to loosen. What Harry didn't know was that magic radiated off of him when he did them.

Draco was well into his own kata when he looked over to Harry and froze. "Uh, Harry, you're glowing."

Harry stopped and focused on what Draco was saying. The aurora of magic disappeared immediately. "What was that?"

"You were glowing; did you know you glow when you do katas?"

Harry looked back at Draco and then to Cin, who had been sleeping in the corner but was now looking at him too. "That's new, I didn't know." Harry shrugged. "I wasn't hurting you was I?"

Draco shook his head. "No, it was just interesting."

Harry shrugged again. "Okay," was all Harry said before he continued what he was doing. Draco just shrugged and followed suit.

It was almost fifteen minutes later when they were both interrupted by the door banging open. Draco nearly lost his balance as he had been on one foot at the time, and Harry was thrown sharply back into reality. He had been at total peace and was irritated to be interrupted.

"Out, both of you!" roared James from the door. Draco was out into the living room in two seconds and Cin followed quickly not a second later. Harry didn't budge.

Aska and Mikhail looked over James' shoulder as Harry gave a firm and resounding, "NO!" Harry was even more irritated by his dad's actions. "We were only training. What's so wrong with that?"

"Only training, training the son of a Death Eater you mean…"

"That is it!" Harry yelled and had drawn his wand in less then a heartbeat and pointed it at his dad's heart. "You have got to accept that Draco is not his father just as I am not you!" Harry's anger was to a boiling point, and with the mental exhaustion from his meditation, he wasn't thinking entirely clearly as he let his eyes flash, with his metamorphic abilities, slightly red.

James took a step back, eyeing his son wearily. "Harry, put your wand away," James said lightly.

Harry only raised it higher to his dad's throat. "Not until you accept that Draco is no longer a Death Eater!"

James suddenly drew his own wand and pointed it back at his son. "Why is it you stick up for him, Harry, is it perhaps, because you are still a Death Eater yourself?"

Harry immediately lowered his wand. "That. I am not. Nor will I ever be again," Harry said heatedly.

"If you can side with someone who can follow Voldemort, how can I trust that you are no longer a servant of _Him_?" James said still holding his wand on Harry.

"So I'm not trusted now am I? Is it because of Draco, or because of what I've done? Cause I've done a hell of a lot of things. You know what, it doesn't matter," Harry said with hurt in his normal again eyes. "Why don't I just go on back to the man who ruined my life, at least I was trusted by him while I was evil," Harry said scathingly. Everyone who was standing and watching the argument outside of the room gasped at what Harry spat at James and because they were all standing in the doorway, they were there to catch James when Harry wandlessly threw him from the room and slammed the door in all of their faces, locking himself in.

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Harry had viciously thrown himself into training as soon as the door was closed on his father's face. Slytherin's Sword had appeared in Harry's hands and Harry summoned all of the training dummies on the highest setting for him to take out his frustration on. They had been back only a week and him and his father had gotten into many arguments but never had an argument caused Harry to draw his wand on the man. His father didn't trust Draco, and that was fine, he didn't have to, but for him to come right out and say that he wasn't trusted either had been a huge blow.

Harry slashed with Slytherin's sword at the training dummy before him and decapitated it in one blow. It was killing him that his father didn't trust him, especially after all he had gone through. It hurt Harry like nothing physical could ever hurt him. Especially with the nighttime visions that Harry kept to himself, it was the same one, over and over, with him destroying Hogwarts and everyone there.

Harry suddenly threw the sword away from him and watched it embed into the wall. He fell to his knees breathing heavily. Harry had been in the training room for hours taking out his frustration on the room and his own body as he pushed himself past his own limits over and over again. He didn't care that he was depleting both his physical energy and his magical with what he was doing. A tear slid down his cheek and Harry wiped it away tiredly before he ran a hand through his sweat-drenched hair.

He had barricaded the door and no one had attempted to get in, not even Cin. Harry looked to it wondering what they were all doing outside of the room. There was a silencing charm over the room, so Harry couldn't hear them and they couldn't hear him. Harry summoned the sword out of the wall and held it in his hands as he looked over it. It really was a magnificent sword and powerful. Harry had yet to try and channel his magic through it though. He didn't want to know the destruction that the weapon could create; he already saw it in his vision. Whether it was a real vision or just a nightmare, Harry didn't know. He hoped it was a nightmare. How could it be anything else? Harry wouldn't willing destroy Hogwarts… but he had a feeling.

Harry staggered to his feet, he was still breathing heavy, and he was starting to ache all over, but he didn't care as he sheathed the sword and banished the many destroyed training dummies. They righted themselves and returned to whole again as they filed back into their place on the far wall. Harry headed for the door and took a deep calming breath before opening it. Harry held the sheathed sword in his hand, intent on giving it to his father to hide from him. If his vision was real; he would need the sword to complete it, wouldn't he?

Several pares of eyes looking up at him as he exited the room. Harry, dripping in sweat, ignored the questioning glares and started towards his room to change, but was stopped by James, who had just come out of his room at hearing Harry finally exiting the Dueling Room.

"I didn't mean what I said, Harry," James started but Harry just shook his head tiredly.

"Yes you did and you're right, I have no reason to be trusted. I have done terrible things. I may be ashamed of the things I've done, but I'm not ashamed to admit that. It doesn't matter, just forget it," Harry said with all signs of exhaustion in his voice as he tried to go around his dad. James wouldn't let him go though and put a hand on his shoulder to stop him

"It does matter, Harry. I may not be comfortable with having Draco here, or with knowing what you have done, but you are still my son and I should trust you," James said and Harry looked back into his father's eyes, they were sincere.

Harry looked away. He'd had several hours to think on his earlier words, as well as the vision that came to the front of his mind because of his mental tiredness. He wasn't so certain that the vision was just a nightmare. He looked down at the sword in his hand before he thrust it into his dad's hand. "Take it. Please keep it away from me. I keep having a vision…" Harry was about to tell his dad the vision when pain swept over him and he dropped like a rock to his knees and clutched his hand to his chest.

"Harry!" James was immediately at his side and Aska was soon to follow.

"Nemaek, his potion, quickly," Aska said and the phoenix was gone before he even finished.

Nemaek returned not a second later and tossed the wooden box to Aska who caught it and opened it and pulled the correct potion out.

Aska tried to hand it to Harry but Harry couldn't focus enough even to move his hands to touch it. He was in so much pain. He had been running on adrenalin for most of the day. Had Harry know that the Unicorn's blood was still in his blood, he would have not thrown himself into training as he had. But he hadn't taken the potion since Cin had bitten him, and he'd been fine. But now it was coursing through his body like a swiftly acting poison. It was killing him painfully.

Harry was close to passing out from the pain when Aska forced him to drink the potion. He barely felt the stinging effects as he finally succumbed and blacked out only to sit straight up a few seconds later as a scene flashed through his mind.

"No!" Harry, though he was tired and aching all over shot to his feet and surprising everyone ran out the door so fast that no one would have been able to stop him.

Harry ran as fast as he could down the back stairs through the alley behind his dad's shop and out into the street. The others had followed him, but only just saw him racing out of the alley, as they came out into it. Cars had skidded to a halt when Harry leapt through the traffic to the other side of the busy evening street. Harry ran three straight blocks before he saw what he knew was about to happen and threw himself in front of the sickly green curse that was about to take his best friend's life. The curse suddenly struck him directly in the chest, and he dropped from his jump just as suddenly. For the second time that day unimaginable pain swept over him and a pain-filled growl came from his throat as he pushed the pain aside and staggered back to his feet, eyes glowing, not green, but blue.

The Death Eater Assassin, who had been sent to dispatch the Potter brat's friends, looked with wide eyes when a blur of a human suddenly took the curse aimed at the brown haired witch and got back up again quite alive. "Who… What are you?"

The robed Death Eater barely had the chance to say those four words before he was batted away like an insect and flew into the brick wall of a building with a sickening crack. He was dead before his body fell down to the street two stories below.

Harry fell to his knees the curse had not killed him, but it certainly had done some damage and he could feel blood covering his shirt just as he could taste it in his mouth. Harry stared down at the tarred sidewalk as he focused all his efforts on breathing. He barely noticed as Remus, who had yet to go back to Britain, along with Bill, James, Mikhail, Aska, Nemaek, and Draco with Cin wrapped around his waist, came running, and flying down the street towards him.

Hermione, Ginny, and Ron, just stared in shock as James was the first to reach Harry's side. Harry eyes rolled back into his head as he fell into his father's arms. "Harry, no, stay with me. Damn it, you can't die like this!" Harry wasn't unconscious yet and could still here his dad, which was probably the only thing that kept him from death as another voice joined his dad's.

"Get out of the way!" Harry heard a woman yell and then he felt a hand on his bloodied chest. "_From the great serpents of beyond and the sands of this Earth grant me power. Lady Magic please, from the serpents of beyond and the sands of this Earth give me power to heal your protected_." Harry only had but a second to register that she was speaking Parseltongue before warmth spread over him and he blocked out all that was around him.

"_I see you again my son."_

_Harry spun around. He was at Hogwarts. On the grounds by Hagrid's hut to be exact and his mother was standing before him. It was winter and the ground was cold beneath his feet, or perhaps it was himself that was cold._

"_I'm dying, aren't I?" Harry asked quietly. He knew he must be. He had escaped the killing curse again, but this time he wouldn't be going back._

"_Yes, but you are protected, even from death, if you choose to be," his mother said softly. She had not taken any moves towards him, and Harry suspected that to touch her would be to accept death._

"_I don't understand."_

"_You are protected by an ancient serpent; you had proven yourself worthy of his protection, by lifting the curse on his mistress, without asking for anything in return. By bringing back the family of a revered and noble Aker, the wolves of the desert, you have gained the protection of the sands of the Earth. You sacrificed yourself for your friend, even knowing before hand that she would die and in so doing have gained the protection from Magic herself. Death welcomes you with open arms, but he will let you go if you choose to, for even he will not go against Magic."_

_Harry looked at his mother and then around him at the grounds that were just in his mind. At the castle that he had once called home, and knew his decision. He wanted to call Hogwarts his home again. He wanted to live; he had too much to do to die now. He looked back at his mother and saw tears in her eyes._

"_You have been through so much pain, and will go through so much more if you go back now," a single tear fell from her glistening green eyes. "But if that is your wish, Harry, then all I can do is pray for the best and wait to meet you again."_

_The landscape around them was quickly fading and Harry smiled at his mother. "I love you, Mum."_

"_I love you too, Harry, say hello to your father from me."_

Harry woke up with a small smile on his face. He was in a comfortable bed and as he opened his eyes to the familiar ceiling he noted that he was back in father's flat. In fact, James was sitting in a chair next to his bed and had one of Harry's hands in his. Harry squeezed his dad's hand to get his attention. James was awake in less then a second and looking down at Harry.

"Mum says hello," Harry whispered weakly and was surprised when he was suddenly hugged by his dad who was openly crying. "Dad, I'm alright," Harry whispered again after a few moments.

James pulled away, his face wet with tears. "I thought I had lost you, we all had."

Harry stared back at his dad. "You almost did, but he let me come back," Harry said his voice cracking slightly. "Is Hermione all right? Ron, Ginny?" he questioned, though it came out as hoarse whisper.

"They're fine, they're all fine. They're here, in the other room, they've refused to leave," James chuckled slightly as he looked over his son. "Are you alright? You took a killing curse to the chest. I thought you were dead until Ashea appeared out of nowhere and started chanting in Parseltongue. I still thought I was going to loose you when you didn't wake up right away."

"How long have I been out?"

"A week," James answered Harry's question and Harry groaned.

"No wonder I'm so stiff," Harry whispered and James chuckled.

"Do you want me go let everyone know you're awake? Remus and Bill are still here too, they've refused to leave even with the owls requesting their whereabouts," James said after a few moments of silence.

Harry nodded. "Probably a good idea, is Ashea still here?"

"Yes, she's also refused to leave. As you can imagine it's getting awfully crowded. I only have so many places for people to sleep."

Harry chuckled at that and pushed himself up in bed. James was about to protest, but instead just moved his pillows around so Harry was more comfortable. "Send the lions in, I'm ready for them, and the snakes and wolves if you want."

James shook his head at his son's description of the various people that were housed under his magically expanded roof and chuckled as he poked his head out of the room briefly. "He's awake," James said simply and then quickly moved out of the way from a stamped of said people.

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A/N: Next Chapter, Harry goes home.


	13. Home

_Harry finally returns to Hogwarts, but in a very unexpected and unwelcome way. _

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Twelve - Home 

Hermione, Ginny, and Ron had been surprised when they saw the blur that was Harry jump in front of the curse that they didn't even know was coming. They had been stunned to see all the people come running down the street at them and were shocked to find out who they all were, especially Harry. Even Ginny, who knew that he was alive, was just as shocked as her friend and brother. But it had been a week and they were over their shock now. The three were sitting in Harry's room watching as Harry decimated Ron in Wizard's Chess for the first time ever.

Cin was curled up at Harry's side and Nemaek was watching in interest. Harry smirked as he moved his queen into checkmate. "Ha! Checkmate!"

Ron gaped down at the board and then at Harry, he hadn't seen it coming. He had been duped in chess by Harry Potter. His mouth moved much like a fishes as he tried to get a coherent word out. Harry just laughed as he patted his friend on the arm.

"It's alright, mate, you had to let me win eventually," Harry chuckled.

Hermione smiled. "Good job, Harry."

Ginny patted her brother on the shoulder consolingly. "I'm sure he'll give you a rematch."

"Sure will, but first, where's our lunch?" Harry hadn't even finished when Draco opened the door. "Ah there it is… or not?"

Draco, who had been watching the match earlier and had gone to help Mikhail make everyone sandwiches, poked his head in the room. He was much paler then normal and looked to be rather worried. "Harry, can I speak with you a second, alone?"

Harry nodded and removed himself from the spot on his bed. He was doing much better from his latest brush with death a week ago. Though he was still quite sore where the curse had hit. He wasn't about to start training again, but he was getting stronger. "I'll be right back, and then we'll have that rematch," Harry said with a smirk and Ron nodded determinedly.

Harry was thinking about how much he'd missed just sitting around with his friends as he followed Draco out into the living room. The room was deserted with the exception of Mikhail. The adults were all gone out. Ashea had left back to Egypt, after a stern warning not to get himself killed again, and Bill and Remus had finally gone back to Britain with the promise not to alert anyone of Harry's presence as he was returning for the start of term feast anyways, which was only in a matter of days. James was in his shop and Merlin only knew where Aska had wandered off to.

Harry looked at Mikhail who had the same worry in her eyes as Draco. Whatever they had found out, they had found out together. "My father's escaped. I've been keeping in contact with Theo and he just sent me an owl in warning."

"Does Nott know where you are?" Harry asked.

"No, and he wouldn't give up my position willingly anyways."

"Unwillingly he might though. Your father knows, or at least suspects that you're with me. If he's told The Dark Lord, Voldemort may realize that you've been in contact with Nott or even Crabbe and Goyle, and after the attack last week… they may be close to finding us."

Draco nodded. "What do you suggest?"

"I think it's time to return home, it's time to return to Hogwarts," Harry said as he made his way to the door. "I'm going to tell dad, will you tell Nemaek to go find Aska and tell Hermione, Ron, and Ginny what's happened." Draco and Mikhail both nodded and Harry slipped out of the apartment. He walked down the front stairs that led into the back of his father's store. He had hoped that they would be able to have a few more days, but he didn't want to take the chance with his friends and families lives. It was better for them to return early, as much as Harry still didn't want to return at all.

The shop was pretty crowded when he came in; there were at least a dozen people. Had Harry had any idea about running an apothecary, he would have instantly realized that this was strange, but he didn't. Harry looked around in annoyance, his father wasn't at the counter and it took him a minute to locate him. When he did finally find James, his face paled considerably.

Standing beside him, looking very much alive, and laughing at something James had said was Bellatrix Lestrange. "Impossible," Harry whispered.

James saw his son and motioned for him to come over with a smile on his face, but the smile dropped as Harry shook his head and backed away. The vile smirk that Bella shot at him from behind James' back was the only indication that he wasn't seeing things. She was definitely alive, but how! Harry saw her raise her wand and he was moving before he even realized. James swung around as he became aware of the danger as well.

That was when a Reducto curse came out of the crowd and hit Harry in the leg. Harry screamed in agony as the curse ripped through his leg and shattered the bone. He hit the floor with a heavy thud and forced himself to focus through the pain. Harry tried to get up but had a wand at his throat before he had a chance to move more then a few inches. That was when Harry realized the crowd in the shop weren't Muggles at all as their glamours were suddenly removed.

"Harry!" James yelled and moved to help his son but was suddenly caught in the chest by a stunner. Harry watched his dad drop to the ground, just as he was going to see who the owner of the wand at his throat was.

"Hello, Harry Potter." Harry froze and his panting breath caught in his throat at the all too familiar voice of the Dark Lord.

"Voldemort," Harry growled and struggled to get to at least his knees but was suddenly stopped as a cold had grasped him firmly around his neck and he was dragged off the ground.

"We meet again, Harry, but this time there's no one to save you," Voldemort hissed with an evil smirk on his lips.

"Don't be to sure about that, Voldemort!" James growled angrily from behind, his own wand pointed at the Dark Lords back. No one had seen him move; he was just suddenly there, it wasn't Apparation.

Voldemort spun around with Harry still tight in his grasp. Harry didn't struggle, he couldn't. Voldemort laughed. "My would be lieutenant, you are still alive. That's certainly - amusing."

"Let my son go!" James demanded dangerously.

"What are you going to do if I don't, Potter. Kill me," Voldemort laughed again, he had moved Harry to be a human shield. Lucius and Bella both had their wands trained on James' back. "Drop your wand, Potter. You are completely out numbered and have no chance of winning this."

Harry was quickly loosing his grasp on consciousness with the deprivation on oxygen and the pain that was numbing his senses. Harry focused on his father. James' eyes widened when he took in the look in his son's eyes. It was the look that said that he was about to do something really stupid.

James suddenly smiled and Harry was grateful he'd been following his eye signals. "No, but I will!" Harry growled and disappeared in a blast of wind and sand, which allowed him to escape and distract Voldemort and his Death Eaters long enough for James to get to a safe distance.

Harry hadn't been able to go far and he landed several feet away, but it was enough to get his father to safety. Unfortunately his landing was far from graceful and just happened to be right next to Lucius Malfoy. He was grabbed ruthlessly and a wand was shoved to his temple before he even had a chance to orient himself to his new location.

"Always have to play the hero, don't you, Potter?" Lucius sneered. "Could have rescued yourself but had to save your blood traitor father and now you will die and I'll make sure it's a slow _painful_ death. You cost me my son!"

Harry was too weak to fight against Lucius' hold. He was barely conscious as it was and he knew there was no hope for escape this time. He just hoped his dad had enough sense to get the others to safety. But his hope was diminished in an instant when Voldemort took a small sphere out of his robes.

"No," Harry whispered, pleaded, but he knew it was of no use.

Voldemort laughed quite insanely. "Bring the boy, we're leaving. Potter, I have a gift for you."

The last thing Harry saw before he was swept away by Lucius' Apparating was Voldemort throwing the small sphere and fire ejecting from it, going straight for his father. The sphere would destroy everything in a three-block radius. Harry knew because he helped make it. At that moment, Harry knew with certainty that they were all dead.

Harry landed on the stone floor in a heap. Tears started to stream down his face as reality caught up with him and shock set in. His injured leg was numb and the rest of his body was starting to feel the same way, but Harry didn't care. He didn't care that Voldemort was striding towards him, probably with the intent of causing him even more pain. He didn't care that he was surrounded by over a dozen Death Eaters while he was helpless and probably bleeding to death in front of them. He didn't care about anything. His friends, his family, they were gone and it was his fault… always his fault.

"Avery, clean him up. I want him healed and aware," Voldemort ordered.

"My Lord?" Avery questioned weakly.

"You dare question me!" Voldemort raged and pointed his wand at the Death Eater.

"No, my Lord, never," Avery was moving and at work before, Voldemort could punish him.

Voldemort smirked down at his enemy. "Bella, I think our dear Mr. Potter wants know how you are alive," he laughed and Bella laughed as well.

"Does he? Perhaps one day I might tell him," Bella said with sickly sweet voice.

Harry looked tiredly at the Dark Lord, the man was sifting through his mind, but Harry didn't have the strength to block him. "Why?" Harry asked with a whispered voice, after a minute of silence, where only Avery's spell casting could be heard. "Why did you kill them?"

"Do I really have to have a reason, Harry? I simply wanted to see the look on your face when you realized that everyone you cared about was dead and that I had killed them." Harry looked away from Voldemort with a dead look in his eyes. Voldemort retched his face up forcing him to look back into the red eyes of the monster in front of him. "I am going to make you feel pain like you have never felt before and then you are going to kill Dumbledore for me and all of those Muggle-loving fools. You will be my weapon against Hogwarts and then the world."

Fear came into Harry's eyes as the recurring vision passed through his mind. "No, I won't!" Harry said determinedly, but Voldemort just laughed.

"You no longer have a choice in that," Voldemort said darkly. "Lucius, bring me Slytherin's Diary," he ordered and terror consumed Harry's mind and soul.

xxxxxxxxxx

The start of term feast was as chaotic as it ever was, but that was normal. The sorting ceremony was calm compared to the year before and the new students were welcomed with open arms. Dumbledore had made sure of that.

Dumbledore sat in his customary spot at the head table a smile on his face, but if you looked closely you could see a worried glint in his aged blue eyes. He was not the only one to notice that several students were missing, especially as two of them were the Head Boy and Girl. He hadn't received any letters from the Weasley's or the Grangers to explain the absence of Ronald, Genevra, and Hermione, and though he wasn't sure that young Draco would be returning, he had been informed by his mother that he would be. It was apparent though that there was need for concern. Dumbledore knew that the youngest Weasley siblings and Miss Granger were supposed to leave from Germany the day before and catch the Hogwarts Express that morning, without returning home first. They had never arrived to the train.

Dumbledore stood up before the deserts were to be served, ready to give his start of term speech before the students were too tired to hear it. He glanced at the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables once again wondering where his wayward students could be. He had just opened his mouth to speak when the Great Hall Doors suddenly burst opened and an array of people entered, among them standing and supporting each other, were the missing Weasley siblings, they're missing Head Girl and they're missing Head Boy. They all looked tired and lost and rather disheveled.

Hermione suddenly fell to her knees tears in her eyes and Draco dropped to help her up. Cin was wrapped around his waist and Hermione took Draco's offered hand as the snake looked at the girl sadly. "It's alright, we'll get him back. I hoped he'd be here to," Draco consoled the girl, looking around the hall just to make sure that they hadn't missed their friend. He wasn't there; he hadn't been able to escape.

Dumbledore had rushed forward, thankful that the students had remained in their seats and quiet. "My word, what has happened to all of you, and who are your guests…" Dumbledore went completely silent and quite pale as one man walked forward, a girl trailing behind him, and put his hands on the shoulders of Draco and Hermione.

"Hello, Albus," James said politely, but with a heavy voice.

"By Merlin, James…"

James nodded slightly with a small smile before his expression darkened. "Voldemort has my son and I want him back!"

"Harry's alive? How?" Dumbledore quickly asked and whispers went up throughout the hall as the news quickly spread like wild fire amongst the students and all the way up to the head table where the staff were on their feet and looking with wide eyes.

James smirked. "By being his stubborn as ever self, that's how." James' smile faded again and tears came to his eyes. Mikhail put a hand on his arm. It had been a rough couple of days for them, but especially James who blamed himself for Harry's capture. "We're in some pretty bad shape. We barely made it here tonight as it is. And we've got some injuries." James winced as rubbed at his ribs. "Think Poppy's up for a full hospital wing."

"I'm sure she'll be more then willing to accommodate," Dumbledore nodded, his eyes still wide with astonishment. Finally his senses came back to him as he really took in the condition of everyone. They'd patched themselves up, but they definitely still looked a bit worse for wear. "Poppy, these people need medical treatment." Dumbledore called up to the head table and Madam Pomfrey was rushing down the hall in seconds.

"Ah, Cin, stop it!" Draco suddenly gasped as the serpent wound himself tighter around him, hissing quite loudly. "What on earth has gotten into you?"

Dumbledore just noticing the large snake gasped at the sight and then nearly leaped back in surprise when I charcoal colored phoenix landed on James' shoulder and started talking.

"He says Harry's here, I think, and he's not well."

"Not well? Not well physically or not well mentally?" Aska suddenly asked and James eyed the bird as well.

"Damned if I know, it's been at least a thousand years since I last spoke serpent." Nemaek said shaking his head.

"I'm going go on limb and say it's the mental kind with the way Cin's acting," Draco wheezed out when Cin coiled around him tighter as if afraid.

Suddenly a gong sounded throughout the hall and Nemaek and Aska looked at each other. "Definitely mental!" they said in unison as another gong sounded. It was the wards falling, first the old and then the new.

"What is going on?" Snape suddenly demanded as he came to stand by the Headmaster's side as well as Flitwick, Sprout, and McGonagall.

"Albus, get the kids to safety, I'll deal with my son, he is much to powerful for even you to handle," James suddenly demanded.

"What about you? You're injured and your magic level is yet back to normal. Jay, going against Harry right now is suicide if he's under Voldemort's control!" Mikhail pleaded.

"James, Cin says he's protected. He can't be touched!" Nemaek suddenly relayed.

"It doesn't matter. I'm going to get my son back, one way or another!" James suddenly turned and stormed out of the hall, leaving several gaping Wizards and Witches behind. Dumbledore took only two seconds to relay orders to the Heads of Houses to get everyone to safety before he ran after James.

xxxxxxxxxx

Heat grasped at Harry, it was a fever that was slowly driving him mad, not that he let himself notice. His eyes glowed red as he looked around himself at the grounds of Hogwarts and smirked. He was home.

The Death Eaters to his back were ready for any command that he wished to give. He hadn't brought an army, but he had brought enough to do some damage. There were thirty of them in all and they all wore the black robes and white masks; all but Harry, who wore no mask, and kept his hood down for the world to see who he was; especially Dumbledore.

Harry advanced up the sloped lawn towards the towering castle. This was going to be fun. Harry nodded to the two Death Eaters on either side of him as he saw two figures walk out from the entrance hall doors. They stood there for only a moment before they were forced back inside by the volley of spells cast at them from Voldemort's two leading Death Eaters. Harry smirked.

"Anyone who gets in your path is yours, but Dumbledore is mine!" Harry ordered before he charged the doors, pushing them open effortlessly with only barely brushing them with his magic. He smiled when he saw the figures retreating into the Great Hall and closing and sealing the doors, trapping everyone inside.

Harry walked non challenged up to the large double doors and knocked. He and the other Death Eaters had to laugh when he got a derisive. "Who's there?"

Harry shrugged, "A lost lonely little boy. Why don't you let me in?" Harry said in a small child's voice. "You might as well open up Dumbledore, because I'm going to come in anyways," Harry boomed as he lightly pushed on the doors with both his hand and his magic and the doors began to groan before they finally, after only a moment, burst open.

Before them stood one man, the rest, both the students and the teachers, were on the other side of the hall and behind a shimmering blue shield. Harry cocked his head slightly before a small smile came to his lips and he held out both his hands to his sides, almost in surrender. But what happened next was not him surrendering, by any means. Two swords appeared in Harry's hands. One with gleaming ruby jewels and the other with glistening emerald jewels. The swords of Slytherin and Gryffindor.

At once the smile fell from Harry's face and the red in his eyes vanished. James had all of half a seconds warning before he dived behind his own shield as Harry spun around on the group of Death Eaters. "Tell your master something for me Bella and Lucius, if you survive. Darkness can no longer touch me!" Harry swung the two blades around his hands and then embedded them into the stone floor of the Great Hall, into two twin slots that had gone unnoticed by the passing of time. A wall of magic sprung up in front of Harry and rushed at the Death Eaters who scrambled to get away, most were not quick enough but a few managed to Apparate before the wards could overtake them.

Harry closed his eyes, against the sight of the dead and immediately collapsed to his knees as he started to shake from the fever that gripped him. He'd been using the dark magic to fool them all for the last few days and had just barely held it at bay. Had he not been protected he would have lost his mind with in the first few hours. Harry still had his hands on the hilts of the two blades. One was telling him to use the blades to gain power while the other was screaming at him to use it to protect. Harry dropped his hands. Never again would he touch the two blades at the same time.

"Harry?" his father's voice came from behind him, and Harry's heart swelled with emotion.

Harry open his eyes and turned to nod slightly to him. "I'm okay," Harry said tiredly. James suddenly grasped at Harry, hugging his son with all his being. Harry hugged his father back. "I thought you were dead. How did you survive?" Harry asked after a long moment.

"Oh, you know me. I'm as stubborn as you are when it comes to dying. Besides your mother would kill me if I died and left you alone," James half joked as he got up and pulled his son to his feet.

"How can she kill you if you're already dead?" Harry asked through his fogged feverish brain. Harry frowned at himself and shook his head to try to clear it. "You know who'd I'd really like to see right now?"

"Who?" James asked, just now really noticing his son's condition.

"Madam Pomfrey."

James chuckled. "I think she's going to have a very full wing tonight."

xxxxxxxxxx

A/N: So I've gotten a bunch of questions about Harry and Ginny, I just want to let you know that they are only friends. As cute as the two are together, I don't much like the paring for anything more then a short fling. At the moment I don't have any plans for a Harry anyone romantic relationship, but who knows, maybe in another installment, if I go on to do a third story, which I doubt I'll do, you never know when the muse will strike.


	14. Trials and Tribulations

_A trial is held for Harry and Harry gets a glimpse at who he really is._

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Thirteen - Trials and Tribulations

Harry sat in the hospital wing sipping a steaming cup of tea while he listened to his father's recount of how he had stopped the blast from the sphere. Harry was astounded that his dad had manage to contain the blast inside of the shop with his magic; he knew his father was an heir of Merlin, but he never considered how powerful James really was, and it scared Harry a little. James had nearly depleted his magical stores for the protection of everyone in the area and he'd been thrown against a wall with enough force to break some ribs, but James said he'd do it all over again to protect Heidelberg. Harry had a hard time understanding that, he'd seen a lot of the city, but it didn't seem much different then any other town, with it's old and it's new areas. He still couldn't figure out what was so special about the place. But there was obviously something about it, and it made Harry wonder.

Harry took another gulp of his tea after telling Dumbledore, who had come to sit with them, about Bellatrix being alive. Dumbledore seemed to be holding off judging Harry, which Harry wasn't sure, was a good thing. The man showed little emotion on his face, but his eyes were ever watchful of Harry.

"Well we are fairly certain that she is a vampire," Dumbledore stated casually and Harry spit out his tea.

"A vampire!" he squeaked. "Are you saying that I've been in close proximity to a vampire for the last couple of days?" Dumbledore nodded. Harry gulped. "I haven't been bitten or anything, have I?"

"Not that we are aware."

Harry let out a low almost shuddering breath at Dumbledore's words, and Dumbledore seemed to look at Harry even more carefully. Honestly what was the Headmaster looking for? Harry just raised an eyebrow back at him as he thought about Bella being a vampire. She'd finally done something that her master had not, she'd gained immortality. Harry mentally shook his head. Immortality; that was the last thing Harry wanted. What was the point of living forever; it just gave one more time to screw up their lives. Harry suddenly shuddered when he thought of getting turned by Bella. An image of Bella's lips on his skin washed over his mind and Harry shuddered again at the thought. Gross.

"Are you alright Harry? You're looking a little pale," James asked.

Harry nodded. "Just mental images; disturbing mental images," Harry pushed himself up in bed to a more comfortable position as he shivered slightly; the fever was getting worse again. "So how are Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Draco?" His four friends had already been discharged from the Hospital wing when Harry had woken up that morning and Madam Pomfrey refused visitors other then those still in the wing and Dumbledore. Harry had already seen Mikhail and Aska that morning as they had slept in the hospital wing. Nemaek was off somewhere and Cin was curled up at the end of Harry's bed. Dumbledore kept shooting glances at him.

"They're fine, Harry. I dare say Mr. Malfoy has much to explain to his housemates, and I'm sure the others are also being bombarded with questions as we speak," Dumbledore answered. Dumbledore looked at Harry for a long moment before he let out a heavy sigh. "Harry, the minister has requested your presence at a formal hearing. They are going to convict you this afternoon for your activities as a Death Eater, I am sorry."

"But he's not yet healed. He still has a fever; couldn't they give him at least a couple of days?" James asked anger coming to his voice. Cin lifted his head to look at Harry.

"_Young master, you are not well_." Harry looked back at Cin and smiled slightly. He knew he wasn't well. Cin wasn't referring to his physical well being though. Harry was barely able to fight the Dark Magic that was coursing through him. Harry shivered again. Perhaps it was better that they convict him now before the Dark Magic took over, as Harry knew it eventually would. Cin could not help him again.

Harry simply nodded. "It's fine. Thank you for letting me know. My belongings, do you have my trunk?" Harry said tiredly, starting to feel the effects of the fever increase, it kept coming and going.

Dumbledore nodded, knowing what Harry was not asking. "I do, I'll have Dobby lay out your dress robes for you. May I suggest your burgundy ones?" Harry didn't know Dumbledore knew what color robes he had, but Harry suppose he had gone through his truck after his 'death.'

Harry nodded his agreement before he settled back into his bed, yes his bed. Madam Pomfrey had done what she'd always threatened to do and put his name on his bed in the Hospital Wing. A gold colored plate now read '_Harry James Potter – The Boy Who Survives.'_

"I'm tired, I think I'll rest until my trial," Harry said quietly, before he closed his eyes and pretended to fall asleep. He wasn't actually tired at all, more wary then anything. The fever that was both a side effect of fighting off the dark magic and the torture that Voldemort had put him through wasn't helping him any. Harry fruitlessly tried to push aside the memory of what Voldemort had done to him. Oh yes, per his promise he had made Harry feel pain before he tried to make him his weapon and Harry's mind was swept up with the memory of it. He had given in.

_Voldemort had him chained to a wall as soon as Avery had finished healing Harry, it was a patch job, but Harry would walk again, if he survived this. Harry eyed the Diary in Voldemort's pale hands with trepidation as Voldemort opened it and flipped through a few pages. Harry knew every word of that Diary, every spell, every curse and he knew what Voldemort was looking for and it wasn't pleasant to say the least. Voldemort smirked when he finally found what he was looking for and held up the book for Harry too see._

"_You may wish to prepare yourself Mr. Potter; this is really going to hurt." Harry's muscles tensed involuntarily at just the thought of the curse. He tried to relax knowing that the pain would be worse for him, but couldn't and his breath quickened and his heart started to race even before Voldemort had lifted his wand. Voldemort struck out then; an electric orange beam coming from his wand. It struck Harry in the stomach and there was no holding back the scream that came from Harry's throat. Take the Cruciatus Curse and intensify it by ten and you'd not even be close to the pain Harry was suffering._

_He felt all his muscles being torn apart, his blood boiling in his veins and it wasn't simulated pain like the Cruciatus. No it was actually happening. The last sensation before the curse was finally lifted was of his skin being torn apart and it was. Blood soaked his clothes. All the damage done was reversed as suddenly as the curse was lifted and it left Harry shaking and choking on his own breath. No the Cruciatus Curse had nothing on this._

_Harry could barely lift his head as the Dark Lord spoke to him. "Was that enough for you to come back to my side willingly, Harry, or do you want more?" Voldemort held up Slytherin's Diary. "It's fully recharged now. All you have to do is speak the words and join me."_

_Harry swore and spit blood out of his mouth weakly, as some of his strength returned to him. It wasn't a lot. Harry clenched his teach and glared at Voldemort with hate. He was strong but he knew a couple more times with the curse and even he would break. Whether it be his mind or his will first, Harry didn't know. _

_Harry's eyes suddenly turned stone cold and he mustered up the energy to spit into the Dark Lords face. "No!" The curse was upon him again not a second after and Harry thrashed against his bindings as he screamed in anguish. Voldemort let the curse stay just a little longer and Harry felt as if a hand was squeezing all of his organs at once before the curse was lifted. Voldemort evidently didn't want to kill him just yet._

_Voldemort laughed and held the Diary open again to Harry, this time it wasn't to show him what curse he was to use. "Join me."_

_Harry's muscles twitch spastically. Harry's mind was in turmoil, it wouldn't survive the curse again, he wouldn't survive the curse again. He didn't really have anything to live for, but he didn't want to die like this. A single tear escaped Harry before in a raspy voice he spoke. "Sino Omnis Quidnam Requiro Scientia, Lucrum Potestas."_

_The Diary pulsed with magic once and then a beam connected with Harry. Harry felt himself fight the magic being poured into him, but could do nothing against it. Just as the pain of fighting it became to much Harry relaxed and let it strengthen him and taint his soul again._

xxxxxxxxxx

Harry looked out at the sea of faces before him. Most he didn't know personally but recognized some of them from Dumbledore's pensive in his fourth year. They were the Wizengamot and his jurors, none of them were his friends and they only knew him from his past actions, all but Dumbledore. Among those attending the trial were the elder Weasley's, Bill had come with his parents, Aska as a representative from the Aker; they wouldn't let Mikhail in, claiming she was too young. James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Severus Snape and his wife as well as the other three Heads of Houses were there too. There were many there in support of him, but it all came down to what the Minister of Magic ultimately decided, as it had been him that was almost killed by Harry, and he had been the only one to witness any of Harry's past actions.

Luminous Friedens stood addressing the assembled. Listing off all he was charged with. Where he had come by such a list, Harry didn't know. He was just glad he was getting a trial at all and that was because Dumbledore had demanded it. Harry pulled at his chains anxiously as the more heinous of his crimes were given to the crowd. He had been chained at the Minister's insistence, not that the chains would hold Harry if he didn't want them too. Which was fairly frightening to Harry in itself. Most of the crimes listed Harry had not told anyone about and most only Voldemort himself knew. He was far more active then any other Death Eater in Hogwarts. The look in the eyes of the people who cared about him was agonizing for Harry to see and he looked at the ground in shame.

"How do you plead to all of these charges, Mr. Potter?" Luminous finally asked as he held up the scroll, which had them listed in Voldemort's handwriting, which just figured. If he could not get at him physically, why not get at him through the courts? Harry looked up at the Minister and then he glanced at Dumbledore as he took in a deep breath. He may have many Slytherin traits but he was still a Gryffindor in many ways.

Dumbledore had told him to plead not guilty, as he was not himself when he did all of that, but Harry couldn't do it. He may have been evil and tainted with dark magic, but he was in control of his own actions, no one forced him to do any of it. Harry looked at his father. He was sealing his own fate, but he deserved no less for all he had done; besides the magic from Slytherin's Diary seemed to be winning.

Harry let out the breath he had been holding and still staring at his father he said calmly, "Guilty." There was an uproar of noise at his unexpected answer and Luminous had to silence the courtroom to let Harry finish as he obviously wasn't done. Harry coughed once as he still the shiver that would have made him shake slightly. He didn't want the court or his father to know how bad the fever had gotten throughout the day. "I plead guilty to all but two. I do not bare the Dark Mark and I do not serve Voldemort!"

"You do not bare his mark, Mr. Potter, but I have seen it on you personally," Luminous scoffed.

Harry simply turned his left arm over in his chains. "Look for yourself."

Luminous rolled his eyes and walked up to Harry. He pulled back his sleeve and took in Harry's blemish free arm and then his eyes widened as he looked back at Harry. "That's impossible." Harry just looked back at him. "Very well, you do know by pleading guilty your sentence still stands the same. Whether or not you served the Dark Lord is irrelevant."

Harry nodded. James stood up. "This is ridiculous, _he_ has done nothing wrong; _he_ was under someone else's control."

"Mr. Potter, sit down! Whether or not your son was under some sort of control has yet to be proven…"

"Let him take Veritaserum! Surely if he did these things of his own volition, he will answer accordingly. Even the Imperious curse cannot escape Veritaserum. He's already plead Guilty; I don't see how much worse his sentence can get."

Luminous looked back at James in thought for a moment and then he turned back to Harry. "Do you consent Veritaserum?"

Harry looked at his father. It had been hard on him the last couple of days… Who was he kidding; it had been hard on him since the moment Harry had shown back up in his father's life. Harry already knew how he'd answer under Veritaserum, he'd already plead guilty, but he didn't know if he could take the look on his father's face when it was all through; the disappointment, he didn't want that to be the last thing he saw on his father's face.

Harry was starting to sweat again from the fever. He could only imagine what it looked like to the court. Harry wasn't afraid, if he was afraid he wouldn't have plead guilty. Harry thought about it for a moment more and then nodded. "Yes, I'll take Veritaserum."

Luminous looked at Harry intently before he nodded to one of the Aurors. Harry sat back and relaxed after taking the tasteless potion, letting the affects wash over him. He looked at Luminous blankly.

"What is your name?" Luminous asked; the court was silent.

"Harry James Potter," Luminous nodded and was about to ask the next question but Harry continued, not of his own volition and in a monotone voice. "Master of Oracles, Master of Serpents, Lord of Gryffindor, Lord of Slytherin, Heir of Merlin, Protector of Magic," when Harry's voice trailed off there was gaping silence. Even James, who was also an Heir of Merlin, was in shock of Harry's words. No one had claimed to be Lord of any of the founders before, even Voldemort only claimed to be an heir, and what was the rest, no one had ever heard these titles before.

Luminous was the first to come out of his shock. "How do you claim these titles?"

"I was chosen."

"You were chosen? By who?" questioned Luminous.

Harry was silent for a moment and he seemed to focus for a moment before his body gave a slight shudder and then relaxed again. "By Hogwarts, by the Great Serpents, by…by…" Harry felt himself fighting the question, but he wasn't trying to fight the Veritaserum, he was trying to relax. He wanted to know the answer as well. Harry clenched his teeth as pain swept over his body. Something didn't want him to know, didn't want the world to know, but why? Harry groaned as the pain intensified and his eyes focused on Luminous. "I can't… answer," Harry ground out.

"Give him the antidote, now!" Luminous ordered. And the Auror practically had to force feed it to Harry. Whispers spread throughout the court but Luminous seemed to ignore the rising volume.

Harry took a deep breath as the pain left him and he slumped in his chair breathing heavily. He was so confused and the confusion reflected in his eyes as Luminous knelt down beside Harry's chair. "Thank you," Harry whispered.

Luminous nodded. "You're under a spell that is obvious. Did you know any of what you said?"

Harry shook his head. "No, and I wanted to know. Something wouldn't let me answer. It didn't want me to know."

"That was obvious. I'm reluctant to continue, Harry." Luminous said quietly. "You tried to kill me as you stood by Voldemort's side. I saw it with my own eyes. Your guilty plea will stand, but with those titles and no proof but my recount, your conviction will likely not, you may receive a prison sentence but not the Dementor's Kiss."

Harry looked to Luminous. "Are you saying that the court might let me go?"

"Without further proof, possibly." Harry nodded and then he looked to his father and Dumbledore. What if he couldn't fight this darkness, what if it consumed him again? Harry shuddered at the memory of his vision.

"What will happen if I continue on with the questioning?"

"If you recount that you were under some sort of control, you will receive a full pardon. If not your conviction will stand and you will receive the Dementor's Kiss today in this court room."

Harry swallowed. His hands were shaking, but not from fear, but the fever. Harry didn't know why he was going to do this. Perhaps it was for his own conscious, but he wanted to continue with the Veritaserum. He wanted to know the truth and he wanted everyone else to as well. Even if the truth was that he had done all those crimes with a knowing conscious.

"I want to continue with the Veritaserum. Just please, don't ask me that question again."

Luminous looked at Harry closely. He didn't understand, but if it was what the young man wanted. "We will continue," Luminous said to the room and the crowds talking stopped. Luminous stepped back and let the Auror administer the Veritaserum again.

Luminous watched as the potion took affect again. "Without titles what is your name."

"Harry James Potter."

"Did you join Lord Voldemort and serve him willingly?"

"Yes…" Harry was silent for a moment and then answered, "…No."

Whispers went through the court again, but Luminous ignored them. "How is it you did and did not serve Lord Voldemort willingly?"

"I joined him willingly to spy on him. I did not serve him willingly."

"Did you commit the crimes listed to the court with a sound mine and of your own volition?"

Again Harry was silent for a moment. "Not all of them." Again whispers went through the crowd.

"Which ones did you commit willingly?"

"I used the Killing Curse, I used the Cruciatus Curse, I evaded arrest, I used Dark Magic with the intent to harm, and I caused damage to Hogwarts property."

"Who was the Killing Curse used on?"

"Peter Pettigrew and Lord Voldemort," the answers that fell out of Harry's mouth was surprising to even Harry. He had thought that he was already in the grasp of the Dark Magic when he had killed Pettigrew.

"Who did you use the Cruciatus Curse on?"

"Bellatrix Lestrange."

"What was the Dark Magic used to cause harm?"

"The Killing Curse and the Cruciatus Curse."

"Questioning finished, administer the antidote…" Luminous started, but was interrupted.

"I have one final question," an old wizard stood up from among the Wizengamot. He had white hair and looked to be the oldest among them, even older then Dumbledore. The courtroom went silent as he spoke. "Why are you feverish, Mr. Potter?"

Harry hadn't expected anyone to notice, but couldn't stop the answer. "I've been fighting off the Dark Magic that had control over me before. I'm recovering from the _Occido Lenis_." Harry hadn't told anyone about the curse Voldemort had used on him; he hadn't wanted to worry anyone.

"What is the _Occido Lenis_?" the old man asked.

"It's a curse created by Slytherin. It kills you slowly while the curse is on you, but you heal as soon as the curse is lifted. It take three years of your life every time the curse is put upon you."

"Who used this curse on you and how many times?" Luminous asked.

"Lord Voldemort cursed me with it two times."

"When?" Luminous asked as the noise level began to rise.

"Four days ago."

"Are you saying Voldemort has his magic back?" Luminous asked incredulously. No one knew about the Dark Lord gaining his magic back. They thought any Death Eater Attacks were orchestrated by the Death Eaters themselves. No one had seen Voldemort since the day Harry had taken his magic.

The potion was wearing off, Harry could feel it. "No," was the last thing the potion let him reply with before he added after shaking his head of the affects. "He has the Dark Magic from Salazar Slytherin's Diary, the same magic that had control over me."

Luminous silenced the noise in the courtroom again. He took in a deep breath. "Harry Potter, under Veritaserum you have revealed that you have used Dark Magic with the intent to harm, used two of the Unforgivables, evaded arrest, and cause damage to Hogwarts property. As the Unforgivables were used against known Death Eaters, those charges will be dropped, under the Acceptable Use of Dark Magic during Wartime Act. For evading arrest, the arrest was unlawful and that charge too will be dropped. As for the Damage to Hogwarts property, I'll let the Headmaster deal out punishment for you. You are fully pardoned and free to go."

Harry let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and he slumped back into the chair that had just released him. He had been almost positive that even with the Dark Magic he had committed those crimes willingly and it had been eating away on his conscious every time he thought about it. Perhaps there was still hope for him. The courtroom was far from silent now. There was an uproar of conversations and James, Aska, and Dumbledore moved towards Harry with the intent to get him out of the courtroom as soon as possible.

Harry moved to stand as James, Aska, and Dumbledore came towards him, but found that his legs weren't going to support him and would have fallen had James not caught him.

"Albus he's burning up. We've got to get him back to Hogwarts," James said as he supported his son. "Why didn't you tell us about the that curse?" demanded James as they started to walk out of the courtroom.

"I didn't want to worry you," Harry whispered.

"Right, Potter, what's the real reason?" Aska practically demanded as well.

Harry looked at his dad. "It made me give into _him_."

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A/N: I don't know what it is about Chapter Thirteen's but I just couldn't get it to my liking, kept having to change it. Well I think I'm satisfied now, at least to post it anyways. Enjoy. :)


	15. The Time of the Lost

_An end to a prank war, with the least likely victor; and the beginning of a new conflict with the knowledge coming from the future. _

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Fourteen – The Time of the Lost 

Harry walked into the Great Hall and silence greeted him. He smiled. The hall was empty. Harry looked at the two sibling swords that still were embedded into the stone and that was were they would stay. They were where they belonged. They were protecting Hogwarts, as long as Hogwarts stood the swords would stay.

"You're late, Harry." Harry looked to the voice and smirked, he'd seen him sneak in through the side door that led to the antechamber.

"No, you're just early." A sword was thrown at him and Harry caught it and spun it around his hand. "Let's make this interesting, shall we? Lets add some magic to the duel."

Aska cocked his head to one side. "Alright, but if you get to use Merlin's magic I get to use _my_ magic," Aska said and then he disappeared. What Aska referred to as '_my_ magic' was Aker magic. He had learned that the Aker had their own special abilities. They couldn't just turn into wolves, which was more of who they were, they were wolves. No, they had a magic that was unique to them. They even had their own school to help the younger learn the magic.

Harry moved into the center of the hall and listened. He'd been doing this for a month now. It was determined that he was ahead of everyone else in Defense Against the Dark Arts so during his free period he dueled with Aska until lunch, that was after he had finished the classes that brought him up on what he had missed of the end of the last school year, it hadn't been much. So he dueled. It was also a source of great entertainment for the students of Hogwarts as they always arrived on the tail end of the duels.

Harry felt the shift in air currents and spun around just in time to parry the invisible attack. Aska was visible again just as their blades met. Harry grinned at Aska. "That the best you got? I can do that too." Harry disillusioned himself without even a thought. Aska looked at the spot Harry was and waved his hand. Harry had also put a silencing charm on himself. So he wasn't heard as he moved away from Aska. The ring may have aloud him some of the magic that was special to the Aker, like turning into a wolf and sand traveling, as Aska called it, but it didn't give him all of their abilities or magic.

A spell materialized where Aska had waved his hand. And then it moved and started for Harry. _Damn heat seeking, smart bugger,_ Harry thought as he jumped out of the way and became visible again. A sword was thrust at him and Harry blocked and kicked off Aska as he spun and conjured a ball of white light. He flung it at Aska and the man dodged and swung at Harry again Harry parried and conjured another ball of white light. He waited till Aska came in for the attack again and then launched it. Aska was pushed back several feet by the mild force. Harry spun his sword around his hand again and laughed at Aska.

"I wouldn't get too cocky so soon," a voice came from behind Harry and Harry ducked a kick to the head.

"Hello, Draco, good to see you, this fine day." Harry dodged another kick and then a sword was suddenly in Draco's hands. "Or not," Harry laughed as he parried and dodged Draco's blows. Suddenly another sword join the two and Harry conjured one into his left hand to block the third. "Well this isn't fair!" Harry did a back flip and I a backwards cartwheel out of the fray, he loved being small and flexible. "Only three against one, come on, you guys are cutting yourselves short," Harry taunted and the three charged him.

Harry disappeared in a whirlwind of sand and reappeared behind the three. They all spun around.

"Looking for me?" Harry mocked and then he saw their smug faces. So it was going to turn four against one was it? Harry ducked and then rolled out of the way as James sent a binding curse at Harry. Harry laughed. "Come now dad do you really think a binding curse is going to hold me?" James looked back at Harry calmly.

"Perhaps not, but it proves as a nice distraction," James smiled.

Harry sensed the feeling of someone behind him and he ducked as a large black wolf flew over his head. Harry smirked. "Almost got me that time, Mikhail; got to work on your approach though." Mikhail growled and her blue eyes flashed. She'd been learning from Aska how to use here Aker abilities but wasn't yet up to par with Aska. Aska was still a bit rusty though when it came to his magic, and it still took a little time for him to use it. Aska's abilities, of those that were solely Aker, had been bound when he was banished, but now that they were unbound he really was a force to be reckoned with.

Harry yawned board like and disappeared again as the collective charged after him. Harry again disillusioned himself before he appeared by the head table. That was when he suddenly found himself floating ten feet off the floor with a mild shocked look on his face. He hadn't expected that.

Harry, upside down looked at his two best friends, who had got the drop on him. "Good show, Hermione, you did that even wordless. Now let me down." Hermione shrugged and simply pointed at Ron. That was when Harry realized she didn't have her wand out, but Ron did and it was pointed at him. I bright smile lit up Harry's face. "It's about damn time!" Ron had been working for weeks on saying spells wordlessly, but hadn't done it successful yet. Now it seems he had. "You can let me down now, Ron."

Ron looked back at Harry sheepishly. "Sorry mate, don't know the counter curse," Ron shrugged.

Harry looked to Hermione, but she too shrugged. That was when Severus Snape came into the hall. It started first as a giggle of a sound, but soon the giggle was a full boom of laughter and it echoed through the hall. Harry looked at the man it came from and crossed his arms over his chest in annoyance. As everyone else looked on in near fright, all but James who was fighting to hold back his own laugh.

Harry, who didn't see the hilarity in the situation in the least, let his anger show. "Exactly what is so funny about this?"

"Mr. Weasley," Snape, who had gotten himself under control, quickly, addressed Ron who looked at the man in fright. "Fifty points, I'll give you fifty points if you do that to him." He pointed at James, who wasn't paying attention as he was still laughing at Harry.

Ron shrugged and pointed his wand at the unsuspecting James. James suddenly let out a startled yelp as he too was hoisted into the air by his ankles. Then it was Harry's turn to laugh; now he saw what was so funny. It was the same spell the Marauders had used on Snape when they were at Hogwarts. Harry wondered if Fred and George had taught it to his friend.

James was quite busy trying to keep his robes from falling over his face, as his rather white legs were shone as his pants fell up his legs. Harry on the other hand wore his pants tucked into dragon hide boots and his battle robes, which were split in the back and front, were charmed to stay with his legs.

Snape had to sit down in a conjured chair he was laughing so hard, and that was the scene that greeted Hogwarts as the students started to make their way in for lunch. It was truly frightening. Harry had stopped laughing and looked to his dad hanging across the hall.

"You don't know the counter curse by any chance, do you?" Harry asked, James shrugged and then was on his feet again. Harry looked at his dad as James walked towards him. "You aren't going to let me down are you?" Harry took in James' smug smile.

"Just think of it as pay back for beating us so spectacularly yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that, and…"

"I get it, Dad, now let me down!" Harry demanded. James just crossed his arms over his chest. Harry would have stomped his foot in frustration, but as they were in the air… "Ok, what is it you want, I know there has to be something, there's always something." Harry couldn't get James to let him down by sheer force, so he decided to barter, at the same time he wracked his brain for the counter curse. It was in there somewhere, he knew it was.

"Harry's bartering for his freedom?" Aska smirked and James chuckled.

"Well we must think of something good then," Hermione said indifferently and Harry's mouth almost dropped open, or would have had gravity not been against him.

"Or we could just leave him like that," Mikhail said smugly.

It was then that Harry caught the glint in Ron's eyes; they had done this on purpose! Harry looked around him, at the others, and they had somehow gotten Snape in on it! They were good.

The prank war had started almost two weeks ago. It had started as a small battle between James, Harry, and Aska, but soon more joined in on it and finally even Snape was dragged into the childishness and it had developed into a full-scale war. It was a great scene of amusement for the school, to see who would win. They even had bets going. So far, Harry had beaten all the others, and no one had gotten him caught in a prank as he had managed to turn it back on the pranksters. Snape came in a tight second, followed by James.

This though, was just devious and underhanded, and so unfair! They had ganged up on him! Well he wasn't about to be out done! He was a Gryffindor and Slytherin for Merlin's sake! Finally, Harry had found the counter curse in his memory. Harry prepared himself to cast a mass curse, and he at the same time released the curse holding him in the air with a brilliant smile on his face. There was only one thing he could think of.

Harry cast the spell as he fell out of the air and then he abruptly fell on the ground laughing his head off. At first those around him didn't seem to understand what was so funny as the students also started to laugh and then they took in each other's appearances and stared at each other in horror. They all had Snape hair, the length, the grease, the color, everything.

All but Snape and Malfoy, who were unaffected and Snape was the first one to help Harry up off the floor. The two smirked at each other and then shook hands. "Well done, Mr. Potter, I do believe that they may have learned their lesson." The three had been on their own side the entire time.

"Never go up against the best, Professor?" Harry asked curiously.

"Never go up against a Slytherin, Harry," Malfoy correct.

Harry crossed his arms over his chest and nodded, in agreement.

"Never would I have believed that I would see a Slytherin and Gryffindor stand side by side with a common goal, in my life time," Dumbledore said joyfully as he shuffled through the throng of students taking in the hilarious scene, which would no doubt, one day go down in history. "But as Hogwarts can not be out done and the guests represent it…"

The three barely had enough time to turn to the Headmaster before a spell washed over them. The Professor and two students looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh, even Snape had given up such qualms of sternness; Dumbledore certainly was creative. The three bowed in respect and surrender to the Headmaster. They all now sported Hogwarts colored hair and robes.

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Harry watched himself laugh carelessly from the shadowed doorway of the antechamber in the Great Hall. He'd never looked so happy, but he knew by dinner that happiness would be shattered. Harry replaced the time turner into his robes; he'd gone back far enough. In his hand he held a letter, a letter that he would receive at dinner that very night. A letter that if not stopped would change the lives of an entire family and send himself over the edge; he would become the epitome of Darkness this night. He'd rather himself not exist to stop that, even if the out come of him embracing that darkness was the end of Voldemort.

Harry shrunk back into the shadows and disappeared. He had much to do and not much time to do it in. What he didn't realize was that Hermione Granger had followed him into the past, not until he felt her hand grab his own as he vanished from Hogwarts.

Harry arrived at the Burrow just in time to see the Death Eaters appear at the end of the Drive. Hermione let go of his hand and pulled out her wand. "What are you doing here?" Harry demanded and his eyes glowed fiercely. To her credit, Hermione didn't shrink away from him.

"You can't do this alone; I won't let you, not this time!" she said determinedly as she raised her wand at the approaching Death Eaters. She was the first to release a quite deadly curse. Harry quickly took the swords out from the sheaths on his back. He may have promised never to use the sibling blades together, but that was before he had defeated Voldemort two weeks ago, or was it two weeks into the future now? Time was so confusing.

Hermione blocked the barrage of curses thrown back at them and Harry moved into the horde. He moved in a blur of speed. The Death Eaters didn't stand a chance, not one spell landed on him as he sliced them all down without a second thought. Not a drop of blood touched Harry, though there was much of it and it was beginning to flow over the lawn. Harry looked longingly at it.

Hermione touched his forearm as she shook her head sadly. "We don't have time for this, Harry." Harry hissed and urged himself to suppress the fangs that started to elongate as the sent of blood overpowered him. He sheathed his swords and grabbed Hermione around the waist and disappeared again just as Molly and Bill Weasley came out from the cover of their home. They could not believe what they had just seen.

Harry and Hermione arrived in the middle of Diagon Alley. If they had arrived just moments later it would have been moments too late. The Death Eaters had just appeared as they had. Harry again took the two blades from their sheaths. Hermione was already throwing spells that Harry would have never thought to see her cast.

Harry again threw himself into the Death Eaters. With unbelievable speed, he made his way through them. He could no longer rely on his magic. The blades in his hands were his only weapons, and his teeth. Harry cut through the last of the Death Eaters, not caring who they were or would be. The crowds of Diagon Ally who were cowering behind displays and inside shops poked their heads out as the last Death Eater fell. Harry didn't linger to see their shocked faces as he again grabbed onto Hermione and they disappeared, just as someone said loudly, "Was that Harry Potter?"

Again Harry and Hermione appeared gracefully and prepared. This time it was in the Ministry of Magic and it wasn't just Death Eaters that greeted them. Vampires, about twenty of them stood beside the Death Eaters who had just finished securing the Floo network and put up anti Apparation and Portkey wards. No one was getting in or out of the building. Already several Aurors and Ministry employees were dead and dying.

Harry smirked as the Death Eaters turned to him and then he shielded Hermione as the Vampires lunged towards him. Harry brought the swords together in a cross in front of him and pushed the magic he could no longer use with a wand through them. They glowed at the tips briefly before a wide beam of red and green light arched through the advancing Vampires. They died quickly. The Death Eaters didn't stand anymore of a chance.

Harry sank to his knees as the last fell to his swords. Hermione put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you all right?" Harry nodded. Hermione threw her arms around him. "It's alright, Harry. You're still you even as you are. You're still Harry."

Harry held Hermione. His best friend, she'd never left him, she'd never turned her back on him, even when he was under Voldemort's control, even as he was; a Vampire.

"We have to go, before someone sees." Harry said eventually.

They stood just as echoes of shouted orders came from the stairwells. Harry held Hermione close as they disappeared, but not before Luminous Friedens and Arthur Weasley got a good look at the two and they exchanged looks of bewilderment as they saw the destruction before them.

Harry and Hermione found themselves in Hogsmead, but this time there were no Death Eaters there to greet them. They wouldn't be arriving for a good four hours. Harry pulled his hood down over his face. Hermione did the same as they made their way into the Three Broom Sticks to wait.

After ordering a butterbeer apiece, Harry looked at Hermione next to him seriously. "Why did you follow me; how did you know to follow me?"

"I saw you, in the Great Hall, today. So when you asked for the Time Turner you some how knew that I had accidentally gotten in the Department of Mysteries, I knew what I had seen was real."

"So you decided to tag along for a one way trip?" Harry sneered, his eyes flashing angrily.

"Why not, you were the only one keeping me there, besides everything's going to change now." Hermione grabbed Harry's cold hand on top of the table and Harry squeezed it.

"I'm a Vampire, Hermione, time doesn't govern me, it's why I could come and disrupt all of the events of today. You aren't… you'll have to die!" Harry whispered fiercely.

Hermione smiled slightly as Harry realized what she had done for him. "I know, but so won't you."

"It's different with me, Hermione. I'm already dead, my soul has already moved on. Dying for you is different." Hermione simply smiled sadly back at him. Harry sighed and pulled her into his arms and held her. "How is it you can be so smart, yet so stupid at the same time?"

She leaned into him. "You'd be surprised what people do for the ones they love." Harry closed his eyes sadly and held her closer. They stayed like that for the next few hours, both giving each other support and strength for the coming fight that neither would survive.

The sun was starting to drop from the thick cloudy sky when Hermione and Harry, hand in hand appeared at the entrance gates to Hogwarts. No evil would pass them as long as they still stood. The school and it's inhabitance were still oblivious to the events of the day and would be till dinner time that night, so were unaware of the danger that was quickly approaching the two time travelers.

They were fifty Death Eaters strong, fourteen Vampires and one hundred Dementors. This fazed neither of the teens as one withdrew two gleaming swords and the other pulled out her polished wand. They were all that stood in the way of the destruction that was to befall Hogwarts shortly after the students were to sit down at dinner in the Great Hall.

Harry hissed at the vampires as he put his swords together again and the magic arched through most of the vampires, only missing two. Harry then threw himself into the fray as Hermione cast a modified Patronus that Harry had shown her. The Dementors scattered, some were even destroyed. Had Harry cast the spell, they all would have died, but he could no longer use his magic in that way. Such was the curse of the Vampire.

Hermione threw curses at the Death Eaters and one by one they fell to her wand, just as they did to Harry's swords. But it could not last and her wandless shield broke under a mass of curses. Harry saw his friend fall and he doubled his efforts. Soon, the only ones standing that had not fled were the two vampires, one being Bellatrix and the other being his creator. Bella had somehow found a way to use magic and cast spells that didn't miss their marks as at the same time he was pinned to the earth by the vampire who had made him, Denair.

Harry hissed in pain and his fangs elongated at the smell of blood pooled around him. "Potter?" breathed Bella. "When did you become a vampire?"

Harry for his part laughed through his pain at the shocked look on her face. "Oh, a few hours from now; don't worry; you're not the one who made me." Harry pooled his strength and in a blur rolled over taking Denair with him. The elder vampire had only a second's reaction time before Harry plunged the glowing blade of Slytherin's sword into his chest. "You did," Harry hissed before the vampire died with wide eyes.

That was when Harry felt the first stab of pain. He was fading. Harry turned back to the wide-eyed Bella and smirked. Bella for her part was scared beyond belief and she did what any Slytherin would do, she fled to save her own life. Harry shrugged as he sheathed his blades that would disappear with him.

Harry staggered over to Hermione's side and put her head in his lap. He brushed his hand through her hair as tears came to his eyes. She was faintly breathing and looked up to him, with love in her eyes.

"You did it?" she whispered.

"We did it," Harry answered.

"You're dying?" she breathed.

"Yes."

"I… I'll see y-you soon then…" Harry leaned down and kissed her lips with their first and last kiss as she gave her last breath. At least she still lived. They both did. Harry collapsed as Hermione disappeared from his arms. His breath came in short gasps as he took in Hogwarts, she was beautiful. He breathed his last and then he disappeared from existence as well, but with the knowledge that he had saved many lives today and would continue to.

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Harry sat down to dinner with the rest of his Gryffindor classmates, completely oblivious to the events that had taken place that day. His hair was still multi-colored as was his robes. Dumbledore really had done a brilliant job with the spell and even Harry hadn't been able to reverse it. Harry waved to Draco at the Slytherin table and laughed when Draco pointed up at the staff table where his dad was chatting almost amiably with Snape, who also still sported the color change. What was really scary was that the Defense Professor seemed to be getting used to the change. Harry had just picked up his fork to dig into dinner when an owl fluttered into the hall, along with several others. One landed with Harry and one with Ron across from him.

They weren't black, which was a relief to all as everyone knew black meant a death in the family. Harry opened his and scanned through the letter, he paled considerably as he read it and then he handed it to Hermione. "That's your handwriting, right?"

Hermione only had a chance to nod, before Ron blurted the contents of his letter. "Harry, mom says the burrow was attacked by Death Eaters but they were stopped by someone who looked like you and Hermione!"

"But that can't be," Hermione shook her head as she picked up Harry's letter and then she also paled dramatically as she read the letter. "Harry?" she questioned.

"I don't know," Harry shook his head. "It's your handwriting."

Suddenly the Great Hall doors opened and the minister as well as Mr. Weasley came in with a bunch of Aurors. "Mr. Potter…" Luminous stopped as he took in Harry's appearance, he shook his head. "Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, you were seen in Diagon Alley and the Ministry of Magic… I don't know how else to say it, slaughtering Death Eaters. Can you explain yourselves?" The entire hall turned to stare at the two.

Harry shook his head. "I've been here the whole day, both of us have, you could ask anyone."

"Perhaps I can explain, Minister," Hermione said weakly. "Though I don't understand it myself… Harry just received a letter, from me, but I didn't write it. I think we, me and Harry used a Time Turner. But it doesn't make any sense. According to this letter, we, or rather them, traveled back two weeks, and they changed things that shouldn't be able to be changed, because Harry and I have no reason to go back now."

Harry looked to Hermione. "Isn't that impossible?"

"Not impossible," Luminous interjected. "Improbable certainly, though. There are only two beings that could come back and change the past without a ripple effect. The only two beings that aren't governed by time; the Forgotten, and they have to die before the time expires, or the already dead."

"Are you saying that I was dead when I came back? The only way I could be dead and still walking…" Harry stopped abruptly and paled to almost sheet white.

"Harry, what?" Ron asked.

"If he were a Vampire," Hermione finished. She had just turned over the letter and read what neither of them had seen. "_I write this two myself in warning. I have taken measures to keep you from turning this night. If I have succeeded I have taken Denair with me in Death and stopped what would have come to pass this day. But be forewarned, others wish to turn you as well, Denair was but one threat. The elders seek you; it is now the Time of the Lost. You must not get turned; the elders don't know what you'll become. Protect yourself and protect those around you. Keep those close to your heart near you at all times and Darkness shall never claim you again. And by all means keep laughing._"

Harry looked at Hermione. "The Time of the Lost, what is that?" he asked quietly. Hermione shook her head and looked to Luminous.

"I don't know either, Harry," Luminous shrugged.

"I do."

All heads turned to the head table and to the person who spoke, James.

"As do I," Snape nodded to James as James spoke what he knew.

"It is the convergence of the elder clans of the Vampires. They're going to choose a new leader, they always choose the strongest," James said and Snape continued, he had a greater knowledge base having been in Voldemort's inner circle.

"They have challenges. The last challenge was in the time of Grindelwald. He was the challenge as he was then one of the most powerful of the age. They didn't succeed as Professor Dumbledore got to him first and the challenge was changed. This time it seems the challenge is you, Harry, but they're not out to kill you, but turn you."

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A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this out, had some writers block problems, but I'm back on track now. :)


	16. The Mark

_Another potion for Harry and a big mistake made in the name of protection. _

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Fifteen - The Mark 

"Alright Professor, I'm here, now what is it you wanted to show me?"

It was Saturday and Harry had finally escaped his father, Aska, and Dumbledore and had been flying around the Quidditch Pitch for a brief reprieve. The training the two had been forcing upon him since the news that the Elder Vampires were out for his blood, was rather… what was the word? Oh yes, much like hell.

He had thought that he would get some time to relax, until they managed to find him again anyways, when he had been summoned to the Potion's Mistresses' office by Fawkes. He'd nearly run over the poor phoenix as he'd appeared in front of him. "Lyndira?" he called out as he looked around the pristinely organized yet empty office.

"Be a dear and hand me that vial, would you?" Harry forced himself not to jump when the witch suddenly appeared behind him, her hands full with a steaming cauldron. Harry had to admit, he had become increasingly paranoid since he'd found out about the vampires' pursuits. Harry watched as she set the cauldron down on a countertop and lit the burner under the cauldron with her wand. He picked up the empty vial with his left had, as it was closest and held it out to hand to the professor.

"What did you want to see me about?" Harry asked as she took the vial and then suddenly grabbed his hand and dragged a knife across his palm. "Ouch!" Harry tried to pull his hand back but she held it over the cauldron until five drops of his blood had fallen in and then she release him. Harry looked at his still bleeding right palm. "What the hell was that for?" Harry demanded as he was about to run his wand over the cut, to close the wound.

"Sorry, didn't think you'd give it to me otherwise, don't close it just yet, I need a little more," Lyndira said absentmindedly as she stirred the cauldron slowly thirteen times counterclockwise.

"You're right I wouldn't have, now will you explain to me why you need my blood for whatever you're concocting?" Harry said angrily, normally he wouldn't show his temper to his potions professor, but she had just assaulted him with a knife.

"A preventive cure for Vampirism, just incase you get caught or bit."

"You could have told me that first." Lyndira made a grab for his hand again, but Harry moved it away from her.

"Harry, there is a specific timing on this, now give me your hand." Lyndira made to grab his hand again.

Harry reluctantly handed it over. His palm was starting to sting and it didn't help that Lyndira made him fist his hand. Harry hissed in Parseltongue a few curses and Lyndira chuckled as he watched his blood drip into the cauldron and turned the potion Avada Kedavra green.

"Umm, Professor, are you sure it's supposed to turn that color?" Harry asked uncertainly. Lyndira nodded.

"Of course, that's what the instructions say," the professor gave the potion two more drops of Harry's blood and then she release his hand and he stopped the bleeding and closed the wound, rather sloppily. He wasn't much of a healer. She stirred the potion clockwise five times and then turned the heat off and ladled the transparent green potion into the vial Harry had handed her earlier. "Drink this and we shouldn't have to worry about the vampires turning you. Killing you, but not turning you."

Harry looked at the potion skeptically, he was about to bring the vial to his lips when he stopped. "This won't react with the Unicorn's Blood will it?"

Lyndira looked to be in deep thought a moment and then she spoke. "Actually I hadn't thought of that, but it shouldn't."

"Shouldn't or won't?" Harry questioned, this was his life after all.

"Well the ingredients are such that there shouldn't be any complications; the most potent ingredient is your blood actually and as that's already in you…" she explained.

"Perhaps I should be in the hospital wing to take this," Harry said and started to walk out of the room but Lyndira stopped him.

"Nonsense, I have plenty of already made potions here if anything goes wrong. Besides what I've created is rather illegal because technically it's blood magic, so I'd rather no one else know about this," Lyndira said rather sheepishly.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You are giving me an illegal potion?"

"Only to create it, so you won't get in trouble for taking it. I got it out of Merlin's Potions Diary."

"You are aware I got the Vampirism Potion out of that Diary as well?"

"Yes."

"And now I'm cursed by Unicorns Blood for the rest of my unnatural life."

"Umm… yeah…" Lyndira said as she actually backed away from Harry who was advancing on her, as he raised the vial.

"If I die because of this, I'm going to haunt you for the rest of your life, and it won't be a haunting like Sir Nick, no, it'll be like Peeves. Exactly like Peeves," Harry watched as his Potion's professor paled slightly and nodded. Harry looked to the ceiling and said a silent prayer before he downed the potion. Lyndira watched him closely. Nothing happened and Harry breathed out a sigh of relief. However Lyndira still watched him.

Harry had just set down the vial and turned to leave when it felt like a knife had suddenly been thrust into his heart. Harry sucked in a sharp breath and then he collapsed to his knees glaring death at Lyndira who just looked at him in sympathy. Oh he was going to kill her if he lived through this.

"Just breath through the pain, Harry. It's natural, it won't last long." Harry barely registered that she knew this would happen when his world exploded in pain again as the potion moved through his veins. Harry gasped in a breath again and clutched his hands into tight fists. He was sure he was either going to loose consciousness or his stomach any moment. Suddenly the pain stopped and left Harry breathing heavily.

He looked up to Lyndira. "You _knew_ that was going to happen."

"I am sorry; I didn't want to dissuade you from taking the potion." Harry glared at her as he pushed himself to his feet, his breathing back under control. She flinched and backed away even more at the look in Harry's eyes.

"Next time you decide you want to test a potion on someone. Don't! Pick! Me!" Harry said with as much venom in his voice as he could muster.

"Are you going to be alright, Harry?" Lyndira asked quietly.

"I'll be just fine, as long as I can dodge Dad, Aska, and Dumbledore for the rest of the day," Harry grumbled. "I'll leave you to clean this all up. I hope this potion is worth it," Harry growled as he left the office. Lyndira looked after him rather guiltily, but she was certain the potion would work.

Harry knew that they were all just trying to help him, but why did they have to force their help upon him. Couldn't they go help someone else for a while, there were after all plenty of other people out there that needed more help then him. Harry was just about to exit the Dungeons when Draco came out of a classroom and grabbed him and dragged him in. Harry was shocked to see the classroom was full and everyone of them bore the Dark Mark.

Harry was about to quickly make an exit and draw his wand when one of them stepped forwards.

"We've been talking and we think that following the Dark Lord isn't the greatest idea. Since his downfall and subsequent rebirth to power we haven't been called upon to do anything for him and we're beginning to get used to that. Draco says that as long as he doesn't serve the Dark Lord you'll protect him, so we were thinking that we could have the same deal as him." Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing, and out of Pansy Parkinson's mouth of all people. The others all nodded their agreement.

"This isn't a trick," Nott said. "We all want out. We're sick of our families dying in the name of V-Voldemort. We don't want to die like our families; we're too young to die."

Harry looked around at all of them; they were every marked Death Eater in the school, besides Snape. "I can't protect your families, but I can protect you until Voldemort's gone."

"We don't expect you to protect our families. Just us," Samantha Fawcett said and the rest of the Ravenclaws nodded.

"Okay, but this is going to be difficult because there are so many of you, I can't know where you are all of the time. You're fine if you're in Hogwarts, but I no longer have the connection to Voldemort anymore…"

"What if you give us your own mark? Like Voldemort has, so you always know where we are. Voldemort can tell when a Death Eater is hurt or dies, the mark even alerts him to exactly were they are. It's why in the last war everyone was so eager to join up with him, because they were always protected. Not that he's using the mark like that in this war," Draco explained.

Harry thought about it a moment. He did know how to create a similar mark, though not through dark magic. This one was Merlin's magic. It had once been used to mark factions before the Wizards started to come together as a society. "I do know how to make a Mark like that, but I won't force anyone to take it. I'm not looking for followers and I expect you to keep your word that you won't follow Voldemort or you're on your own," Harry said seriously looking at those before him. Everyone nodded. "Very well, meet me at the edge of the Forbidden Forest behind the Quidditch Pitch in a half an hour. I can't do this inside the wards, or I'll bring them down."

Most everyone looked after Harry wide eyed as he left the classroom. He was serious that he'd end up bringing the wards down. He was about to use a very large amount of magic and if they were on the grounds, it would conflict with the wards of the school, he'd had a lot of time to read in the last few months. But first he needed a symbol and if he had learned anything the last months, it was that whenever he used a lot of magic, he needed his stopper to death.

Harry stopped first in the Hogwarts Library were he found Hermione immersed in several rather think books. "Hermione, I need your help."

Hermione looked up from her books. "Sure, Harry, what can I help you with?"

"I need a symbol, something that will represent me."

Hermione looked at him oddly for a moment. "Okay, what for?"

"I'm going to mark the junior Death Eaters in the school," Harry would have laughed at the expression on his friends face, but he was completely serious and didn't want her thinking otherwise.

"You're serious? That will take a lot of magic. You can't do that inside Hogwarts, you'd…"

"I know, we're going outside the wards," Harry stalled her rambling.

"We, wait they're taking your mark voluntarily?" Harry nodded. "How'd you manage to convince them of that?"

"Actually they came to me. It was Draco's idea that I mark them, but the spell requires a symbol that represents me. Voldemort has the Dark Mark, a cross between Death and Slytherin. But there is so much that's me. How can I narrow it down to a symbol?"

Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment. "Come with me," she said leaving her books and pulling on Harry's hand to lead him out of the Library.

Harry followed her up to Gryffindor Tower, after giving the password and entering Hermione approached Dean Thomas.

"Hey, Hermione, Harry, is there something you need?" Dean asked. He was sitting in front of the fire with a pencil and a sketchpad as he sketched what looked like the common room, it was really good.

"Harry needs a symbol that represents him. I'm thinking a Lion and Snake, you saw the papers after Harry's trial, and we need something that represents all he is. Master of Oracles, Master of Serpents, Lord of Gryffindor, Lord of Slytherin, Heir of Merlin, Protector of Magic… So a Sword for Protection, an Egyptian All Seeing Eye and a Wand to represent Magic…"

"And a Staff for Merlin," Dean nodded as he turned a page and started to sketch what the two were obviously seeing in their minds.

Harry just watched as the image came together. It started to look like the Hogwarts crest but with much deviation. It was perfect and Harry memorized it as it all came together, but he added something of his own to the image in his mind. It wasn't long before Dean was finished and Harry bolted up the stares to retrieve a vial of his potion, just in case. When he returned there were several more Gryffindors waiting in the common room, they were all D.A. members; even those that had stopped going to D.A. meetings when he was in Slytherin, were there.

"We were thinking, Harry. If you mark us as well…"

"Wait, wait. The only reason I'm marking them at all Hermione is because I promised them my protection if they left Voldemort. And the only way I can give all of them my protection is to know if they are in any danger ahead of time. I'm not looking for followers," Harry explained.

"With a little extra power we can make this mark accessible by anyone that possess it. That way we'll know if you're in trouble and you'll know if we're in trouble. We can all help each other. Besides the D.A., even in your absence, has grown beyond a defense club; together we're strong enough to protect Hogwarts against any threat."

Harry's mouth nearly dropped at that. He hadn't a clue that they had all been training that hard. He was convinced when everyone nodded their agreement. "Okay, gather the D.A., but I'm not making anyone take the mark, even if it is born out of light magic. Meet me at the edge of the Forbidden Forest behind the Quidditch pitch and don't alert anyone. I don't need anyone thinking I've become the next Voldemort." Harry shook his head as he left the Common Room. This was getting ridicules, the amount of magic he had to use in the first place, and now the others…

"Harry," Ginny's voice stopped him and he turned to see the red head and that she was holding Cin, who he'd left in his dorm. "He came down into the common room; I think he was following you."

Harry looked at Cin. "_Young Master, you may have to remove the Dark Mark from those you wish to brand._"

Harry rubbed his hand over his face and rolled his eyes. "_How do you suggest I do that_?"

Cin blinked at him. "_I don't know, Young Master_," Cin hissed after a moment.

"_A lot of help you are_," Harry hissed back.

"This is very creepy," Ginny commented and handed Harry Cin, who curled around his torso. "I'll see you behind the Quidditch Pitch," She said and jogged off down the hall.

"She's right, Mate, that is very creepy when you do that," Ron had to give his two cents as he walked passed him to catch up with his sister. Dean and Seamus also both nodded as they passed him.

Harry simply smirked. Well at least he knew how to get rid of people when he wanted to be alone. Speak Parseltongue.

"_I get the felling that they don't like me very much_," Cin commented and Harry chuckled as he too made his way down the corridor.

"_It's not that, it's that they don't like it when I speak serpent, it creeps them out_," Harry said. "_Now I just have to think of a way to remove the Mark_._ How did you do it with me_?"

"_I just willed it through my magic, Young Master_," Cin hissed.

"_You think I could do that? Will the mark to be gone with my magic_."

"_Possibly, Young Master, but you'd have to find a way to be connected to all of them at the same time, and it will be very draining, not to mention you'd be exposing your mind to the Dark Lord and weakening your defenses against the Dark Magic that still lingers with in you. I do not advise you to do that_."

Harry looked unfocused down the hall as he walked. Cin was right; he'd be exposing himself to Voldemort. But he could use the Dark Magic in him as the connection to the Dark Mark. He'd have to go through Voldemort's mark of course, but he could do it. This was insane, he was thinking about exposing himself openly to Voldemort. He'd need to be watched if he did this. Harry came back to himself as he reached the courtyard.

"Fawkes," he said out loud and the bird appeared before him. "Go find Nemaek and bring him to me, Fawkes." The phoenix trilled lightly and disappeared in a flash of fire. Harry didn't have to wait long as Nemaek suddenly appeared.

"What is it Harry?" Nemaek landed on his shoulder.

"I'm about to do something very dangerous and very stupid. I need you to watch me and get help if it looks like I need it," Harry said as he started walking down the path that led to the Quidditch Pitch.

"What exactly is it you are going to do?"

"I'm taking the Dark Mark off the junior Death Eaters," Harry said nonchalantly.

"WHAT!" The bird shouted. "I completely advise against this, Harry. The magic needed… and you'll have to open a connection to Voldemort... This is not a good idea."

"I'm aware of it, but I promised my protection and I can't give it to them if they are connected to Voldemort. It would be pointless if Voldemort can find them where ever they are." Harry continued walking and Nemaek fidgeted on his shoulder. "You and Cin can watch me and if something goes wrong you can go for help and Cin can incapacitate me."

The phoenix glared at him and Cin tightened around his middle. For a moment Harry thought Cin and Nemaek would stop him before he even got to the others, but Cin released him, letting out a string of curses that Harry had never heard from him before and Nemaek gave his acquiescent. "Alright, but this is not a good idea," he reiterated.

"Good, that's something we agree on," Harry said as they arrived behind the Quidditch Pitch on the edge of the forest. The two factions of D.A. members and Death Eaters were glaring mistrustfully at each other. "Hey everyone, follow me." Harry didn't give anyone any time to argue as he moved into the forest. They all looked at each other and then followed Harry, most of them just noticing Nemaek and Cin.

Harry led the assorted groups into the forest. He already knew that the centaurs didn't inhabit this part of the forest, it was home to the unicorns, but they would all hide from the large group. Harry used his magic to sense where the wards ended and finally stopped after about ten minutes of walking. They were in a small clearing and the sun shown down brightly into the area.

"Ok, I'm going to give you all my mark first, and then I need to remove the Dark Mark from those that possess it. If you don't want my mark, you don't have to take it; I will not force it on you. Everyone with Voldemort's mark circle around me, everyone else stand a couple feet behind them." Everyone did as they were told. "Nemaek wait outside the circle." Nemaek nodded and flew to a tree behind Hermione. "_Cin, wait outside of the circle, but be ready to strike me if you have to_."

"_Young Master_?" Cin questioned. Harry glared at the snake and he uncoiled from around Harry's torso. "_Yes, Young Master_," he hissed as he made his way out of the circle. "_Be careful_."

"_I will_," Harry hissed back and then he took in a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Everyone watched expectantly as he blocked out the world and focused solely on the creation of his mark. He remembered every detail of it, including the ring of blue runes he added around the seal. Harry focused on the large group around him. Pin pointing them for who they were and registering their life forces as a guide.

Harry opened his eyes and raised his had out in front of him and released the symbol. There were sharp intakes of breath as the small mark burned into the flesh just above the collarbone on the right side of the neck. It was like a domino effect starting with him and then on to the nearest person until everyone in the two circles bore his mark.

Harry breathed in deeply as he finally reigned in his magic. Being connected to so many people was rather interesting. He could feel those that had the Dark Mark and his and the Dark Mark were fighting each other. Harry had to work quickly.

Harry concentrated into himself on the Dark Magic. He was shocked at how quickly he was able to form a link to Voldemort without their connection, and he was startled when the Dark Lord suddenly spoke to him in his mind, almost as if he'd been expecting it.

"_Ah, Potter, embracing the Darkness?" _Harry ignored Voldemort as he concentrated on the Dark Mark link that led him back to those around him._ "What are you doing?" _

_"Destroying your Dark Mark link," _Harry answered calmly as he pushed aside the large amount of Dark Magic that fought to overcome him.

_"You really think you have the power too, Harry. The Dark Magic will overtake you long before you separate the strands of the Dark Mark even to remove one_," Voldemort hissed. "_You will be mine_."

"No," Harry said allowed and opened his eyes, though he wasn't aware of doing so. Magic flew around him and his eyes became blood red. That was when he found what he was looking for but the Dark Magic was surging through the link he kept open and into him.

Unbeknownst to Harry, Cin was getting ready to attack him and Nemaek had already left for help the moment he saw Harry's eyes. Harry oblivious to all those around him had only one choice. He had to destroy the link at it's source or be overcome by the Magic. Harry used the Dark Magic flowing into him to his advantage. He thrust it into the mark's link, over loading it and forcing it out of himself. The link disintegrated, but not just to those around him, but all of the Death Eaters, anyone who had the mark.

"_NO_!" Voldemort screamed into Harry's mind. "_I will destroy you for this, Harry Potter!"_

xxxxxxxxxx

Severus Snape was enjoying his day off in Hogsmead, he'd be meeting his wife for dinner in the evening but the afternoon was his and he was all too happy to be away from the children at the school. It wasn't that he didn't like teaching, on the contrary to what everyone thought about him, he loved teaching. He had to admit when he was teaching potions, he wasn't as enthusiastic, but Defense Against the Dark Arts was his pride. He loved the subject and enjoyed teaching it. His students weren't overly horrible either, not like they had been with potions. Honestly sometimes he thought that they were a bunch of bumbling idiots. Had Albus not given him the Defense job when he had, he would have quite. He couldn't take any more students blowing up cauldrons. It was nerve wracking not knowing whether a student was going to make one too many mistakes and blow themselves up in his classroom. How his wife did it with such ease he had no idea.

Snape had just stepped into the Three Broomsticks when he literally ran straight into James Potter. He rolled his eyes; this was all he needed on his day off.

"Oh, Severus, sorry about that; you haven't seen Harry, have you?" That was the first thing Snape perceived was odd, James Potter never apologized to him, and his tone suggested that he was rather worried.

"Not since breakfast. I thought he was with you," Snape replied.

"He was, but he took off after nearly blowing Aska and I up. Lyndira was the last person to see him, which was almost an hour ago, and he's not on the map," James ran his hand through his hair. "I think he thinks we're pushing him too much. If some things happened to him…"

"James, I'm sure Harry's fine. He's rather… resilient. He's probably just wondering around Hogsmead dodging you and laughing at you for looking for him," Snape said snidely.

"I've never seen Harry that carefree, is he really like that?" Snape was caught off guard by James' question, he kept forgetting that he knew more about the boy then James ever could. He'd seen Harry grow from a boy into a man; James had only gotten to know the man.

"When he wants to be," Snape answered. "I hope one day he can be that care free again," Snape answered truthfully. "Anyways I would like very much too get a drink on my day off." James moved out of the doorway and Snape made to go into the tavern when a tingling sensation ran up his left arm. Snape clenched his fist when the tingling turned into pain and he clutched his arm where the mark was and fell to his knees.

"Severus, what's wrong?" James knelt down beside him and Snape focus through the pain that he though was going to kill him. Suddenly it stopped.

Snape took in a deep breath and pulled back his sleeve to see the mark, but it wasn't there. The link was gone too. Snape stared in disbelief as James too looked down on Snape's blemish free forearm.

"Severus, what's this mean, does this mean Voldemort's…" James didn't get to finish his inquiry when Nemaek appeared before them.

"It's Harry!" Nemaek said the second he appeared.

"Where?" demanded James.

"In the forest behind the Quidditch Pitch, hurry, I don't know if he can last much longer!" Snape grabbed a hold of James' arm. He knew where Harry was. It was unicorn territory, but he had seen Harry go there to think a few times in the last couple of week, just on the edge of the wards. He Apparated them both; Nemaek followed a split second behind them.

When they arrived, Snape didn't expect to see all of the students there as well and he was completely unprepared from the amount of magic that was flowing around him and away from him. "What is he doing?" Snape demanded of Nemaek.

"He's opened a link with the Dark Lord," Nemaek answered.

"Shit," Snape snarled. "Everyone get back!" he ordered as he drew his wand.

"What are you doing?" James grabbed onto Snape's wand arm.

"Saving your son, I have to break the link," Snape tried to shrug James off him.

"You aren't going to curse my son, you could kill him!" James said angrily.

"That's no more then what the Dark Lord is doing to him right now," Snape pushed James aside and pointed his wand at Harry, "_Crucio_!"

xxxxxxxxxx

Harry suddenly felt his own magic being drawn to Voldemort along with the Dark Magic that was still leaving him. Voldemort was going to kill him if he didn't find a way to cut off the connection. But he couldn't, the Dark Lord had him trapped. Harry could feel the magic flowing around him and away from him. This was not what was supposed to happen. Why couldn't he have listened to Cin and Nemaek?

Suddenly and painfully the connection was broken and Harry was pulled violently out of Voldemort's mind and thrown to the ground, hard. He screamed and thrashed in pain as the Cruciatus Curse swept over him.

It was abruptly released and Harry gulped in air and lay still on the grass with his eyes closed. "Harry?" The voice of Severus Snape made Harry open his eyes. They were completely green again.

"Thank you," Harry whispered.

"What were you thinking? Not that I'm not grateful, but what do you think would have happened had I not stopped your link? You would have turned dark again!" Snape spat harshly.

Harry shook his head. "No," Harry whispered. "Not this time." Harry forced himself to his feet. He swayed slightly and Snape grabbed him before he fell.

Harry had only felt himself this weak after he had died on the cliffs. He felt as if a piece of himself was missing, but he couldn't pinpoint what. Harry was forces to lean on Snape. "By Merlin, what did he do to you?" Snape asked when Harry's legs suddenly stopped supporting him.

Dumbledore had just come into the small clearing and McGonagall started to shuffle the students back towards the castle but none of them would leave. They all stared at Harry. They had seen the magic leave him, they had felt it.

"He took my magic," Harry whispered as he stared at the ground. That was what was missing. "He took my magic," Harry repeated and panic started to cloud him mind before darkness claimed him.

xxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: I took me a bit to get this written, hope you enjoy, sorry about the cliffy. :)


	17. An Unsuspected Betrayal

_Harry works to gain his magic back, and a friend does something Harry would never have predicted._

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Sixteen - An Unsuspected Betrayal

"Concentrate, Harry."

Harry took in a deep breath and pointed his wand at the feather in front of him. "_Wingardium Leviosa_," he pronounced through clenched teeth. The feather hovered only inches above the desk before it fell back down. Harry panted in exhaustion and angrily whipped away the beads of sweat that clung to his forehead.

It had been like this for a week. Professor Dumbledore would gently advise him to concentrate and have him perform the most minuscule of first year spells with little to no effect. The Medi-Witch and the Headmaster both told him that he didn't lack magic. That Voldemort hadn't been able to get to his reserves, and that was the only reason he was still alive.

The fact that he still had his magic didn't cover the fact that Harry couldn't use it. It was blocked from him, which rendered him pretty useless.

"You aren't concentrating hard enough, Harry. Your magic is there, you just have to utilize it. Now try again," the headmaster instructed calmly.

"I'm concentrating as hard as I can," Harry mumbled as he brought his wand up and gave it a swish and flick. "_Wingardium Leviosa_." The feather again hovered barely a inch above the desk before it started to rise further up. Harry didn't get too excited.

"There you see, my boy, all you had to do was concentrate and…" Dumbledore began but Harry interrupted.

"It wasn't me," Harry stated heatedly as he slapped his wand down as the feather continued to rise higher into the room. "Your bloody window's open, Fawkes has returned." Harry pointed to the window and the phoenix just settling on his perch. The wind had taken the feather and lifted it into the air.

The headmaster gave Harry a sympathetic glance after looking at his phoenix. "You mustn't get discouraged."

"And why _mustn't_ I? You keep telling me to bloody concentrate; that my magic's there. Well I've seen no proof of that," Harry spat as he stood from his seat at the Headmaster's desk. "I'm done for today." Harry began to leave the Headmaster's office.

"Harry, where are you going?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry shook his head. Did the old man always have to know what he was doing, where he was going? "I'm going to work on the only subject I can do without my magic. _Potions_," Harry said nonchalantly, with a bite of sarcasm and left the office.

A little while later, Harry, having no intension of actually doing potions work, found himself at the highest point of the castle, excluding the towers of course, sitting up against a rickety, yet secure, railing as he looked down the many floors to the entrance hall. The staircases below moved at random intervals and students could be seen sporadically running up or down staircases, late for this class or that. Harry was excused from classes; in light of he couldn't do anything but read and answer questions in class. The only class he did go to was potions, but the headmaster had excused him from that class to have Harry practice with his blocked magic. He didn't have Care of Magical Creatures anymore, nor did he have Herbology, which he found out that they'd been using wands more often in those classes anyways.

Harry breathed out and closed his eyes from the long drop behind him. He was on a catwalk of sorts, which actually led to the roof, and Harry would be there instead, if it weren't currently raining buckets outside. He'd come here ever since he found the place a couple weeks after term started. It, besides the clearing he had taken the D.A. members to get marked, was his thinking spot. No one bothered him up here, probably because no one knew of it. Not many students explored the castle or wandered it aimlessly at night, as much as he did.

Harry was interrupted from his thoughts when he head the rustling of robes and someone walking cautiously down the catwalk from the ladder, towards him. Harry opened his eyes and looked up at the intruder. It was Neville Longbottom, odd. He hadn't talked to his fellow Gryffindor more then a few quick sentences here and there since last year when he had awoken in the hospital wing with the boy sitting beside him. So it was a shock to see him nervously coming towards him in a spot Harry thought not many knew about, and during classes no less.

"Hey, Neville," Harry greeted.

"Hey, Harry, mind if I sit down, it's kind of high up here. Is that railing even safe?" Neville inquired quickly.

"Yeah, the railing's safe enough. Sure you can sit if you want. I'm just up here to think."

Neville fidgeted a moment before he sat down next to Harry. He was quiet for a long time and Harry was about to ask the point of his visit when Neville spoke hesitantly. "My grandfather, well great, great, great or so grandfather was one of the wizards that helped make Hogwarts. I've never told anyone that," Neville said with a nervous chuckle.

"Really, I didn't know other wizards helped make Hogwarts, I thought it was just the founders," Harry said, with little interest, he probably would have been more intrigued on any other day, or rather week, but he just couldn't muster the energy to care.

"Yeah, the founders did most of the magical stuff, but they still needed architects, he was one of them. Left the family journals and stuff," Neville said without looking at Harry, who had taken to staring down to the ground floor, far below. "Are you going to the Halloween Feast tonight?" Neville suddenly asked timidly.

Halloween, he'd almost forgotten it was Halloween. So that was why his father had been acting weird this morning. He'd notice his father was rather withdrawn at breakfast. He hadn't even said good morning to him before going with Snape to Snape's first year Defense class.

James had taken to helping Snape and McGonagall with their classes. Mostly lower level Defense classes and OWL and NEWT Transfiguration classes. Apparently he was really good with Transfiguration and he seemed to love teaching. He had taught Mikhail for the last year, Harry had learned and according to the students, he was a really good instructor. Harry thought so too.

Mikhail was taking private lessons with Aska and occasionally sat in on Hogwarts classes, though she didn't become a member of the school. They would be coming up for the feast that evening. They were staying in Hogsmead, Nemaek with them, though they all frequented the castle often.

Harry only shrugged in answer to Neville's inquiry. He really didn't know if he wanted to attend the feast. He'd only attended in the past because Hermione and Ron insisted. It wasn't a day he liked to celebrate on and it was obvious by this father's attitude this morning that his dad wouldn't be celebrating either.

Neville was silent for a long time again and Harry was just about to drift off into his own thoughts again when Neville suddenly spoke. "I might be able to help you."

Harry looked up at his dorm mate. "What do you mean?"

Neville seemed to fidget more under Harry's gaze. "I-I found something that might be able to help you."

"What? Like help get my magic unblocked?" Harry questioned skeptically.

"Something like that. Come with me, I'll show you." Neville stood and started down the catwalk.

Harry only waited a second before following the young man; if he had really found something that would help him… Harry followed Neville down the ladder and down several staircases and through several passageways, only a few of which Harry knew of. Maybe it was a room in Hogwarts. Maybe that's why he had mentioned his ancestor. But how could a room help him?

They entered into another passageway that had opened from a false wall on the third floor. The small passageway was dusty like it hadn't been used in a long time and it was slanted downwards.

"We're almost there, not long now," Neville mumbled from in front of Harry, what seemed like fifteen silent minutes later. Neville held his wand up with the tip illuminated so that the two could see where they were going. But it was still dim and Harry couldn't see anything past the boy. "Stairs," Neville commented as he descended them. Harry followed. Neville was now moving at a brisk pace and Harry had to move quickly to keep up.

"Where is it we're going?" Harry asked, Neville only repeated that it wasn't far.

'_Trap, it's a trap, Young Master.'_ Harry suddenly heard in his head muted Parseltongue. '_He's leading you into a trap, turn back now!'_ Harry heard the duel voices again and then he recognized them and looked down at the ring on his hand, they hadn't spoken to him in a long time.

"Neville, where are you leading me?" Harry asked again, his voice more urgent. They were still descending and Harry was sure that they must be under the castle by now, maybe even passed the Chamber of Secrets.

"It's not far. Just around here," Neville said and Harry could hear the hesitation in his voice.

"Neville, I don't think it's a good idea for us to go any further, in fact I think we should return to the dormitories. Hermione will be getting out of class soon and she said she'd help you on your charms before the feast, remember," Harry said as he stopped where he was.

"We can't go back now, Harry, we're almost there," Neville said with a strained calm to his voice.

"Neville, I'm not going any further," Harry said as he shook his head.

"I'm afraid you are. I'm sorry, Harry." Harry backed a few paces up the stairs when Neville suddenly turned and pointed his wand at him.

"Neville…"

"Don't make me curse you. Please just cooperate," Neville nearly pleaded.

Harry shook his head sadly and started walking again; he was at disadvantage without his magic. The area they were in wasn't as narrow and he passed Neville, the young man's wand still aimed at him. Harry rounded the corner and was about to turn back and grab Neville's wand out of his hand when hands grabbed him and threw him painfully to the ground. Harry grunted from the force of impact to the hard dirt-covered ground.

"Good job, Neville," an unfamiliar voice praised somewhere to Harry's right and the area lit up scantly as a couple torches were suddenly lit. Harry could see that they were in a cave of some sort, which had several tunnels leading out of it. It appeared to be a natural cave as their were large stalactites hanging ominously from the ceiling above. He had no idea Hogwarts was built over a system of caves.

Harry struggled against the hands that held him down. There was a knee in the middle of his shoulder blades at his back and one hand latched on his arm, while the other was grasping the back of his neck.

"Thank you, Grandfather," Neville said quietly as he looked away from Harry.

"Grandfather?" snarled Harry through clenched teeth, trying to lift his head higher.

"Oh didn't he tell you, what manors he has been raised on. Neville, why did you not tell your friend about me?" the voice asked as he came into Harry's view and Harry stilled as he looked up at the man, no Vampire.

"He did," Harry said quietly as realization came over Harry. Neville's many great grandfather was an Elder Vampire.

"I've brought him here. Now give me the cure," Neville demanded with a tremble in his voice.

"Of course, my grandson, you have done well and earned it," the Vampire handed Neville two small vials with a light yellow liquid in them. "Your parents should be well by morning."

"Thank you," Neville said tightly as he took them and put them in his robes. "I'm sorry, Harry. I really am. But…"

Harry looked away from Neville. "It doesn't matter now. Just go cure your parents," Harry whispered, trying to hide the anger in his voice. It did matter; he'd never thought Neville would betray him like this. He thought they were friends.

"I'm sorry," Neville said again and disappeared back the way they had come.

The Elder Vampire knelt down beside Harry. "My name is Merrick. It took a huge amount of courage for young Neville to give you over to me. Don't blame him, I offered him the one thing he couldn't refuse." Harry glared at the Vampire. "You'll do well in my clan, I guarantee it."

"I don't want to be a part of your clan. I don't want to be a _Vampire_. I'd rather _die_ then be cursed to live forever!" Harry spat.

"I would be willing to grant you that, however, I want the throne and you are the only way I'm going to get it." Merrick started to walk away from Harry, turning back only briefly. "Bring him; we will get this done with tonight."

Harry was hoisted to his feet and then shoved toward a narrow passage on the other side of the cave. They had left his hands unbound and only a firm hand on his shoulder was what kept him walking forward, but he noticed that he didn't have his wand; he had left it in the Headmaster's office. Not that it would work, but he could have used it as a threat.

As the passageway widened and Harry furiously thought of a way out of this situation, it finally dawned on him how he could get away. By Merlin, he wasn't just a wizard, he was human; he had hands! Harry grabbed onto the hand on his shoulder and heaved with all his might as he backed into the man behind him and threw him over his shoulder. What surprised and caught Harry off guard was how quickly the man was back on his feet. He had hit the ground really hard; it should have at least stunned him.

Harry backed away as he finally understood that the man was also a Vampire, and now a very pissed off Vampire. Harry started to back away but the Vampire grabbed him in one swift motion and threw him against the jagged stonewall. Harry could feel several points in his back were the stone cut through his robes and into his flesh.

"Justin, what are doing?" Merrick questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"The human attacked me," the Vampire, Justin replied calmly.

"Just payback for throwing me to the floor," Harry growled.

Merrick smirked. "You're making him bleed, let him down."

Harry was dropped unceremoniously and then shoved to keep moving. Harry walked on, following Merrick. There was no way he had any chance of getting away from the two. They were stronger and faster, and even if he could somehow get away and loose them in the underground tunnels, without getting lost himself, they'd probably be able to sniff him out, or hear his heartbeat or something.

They had to have been walking for half an hour, Harry giving death glares at the two, who were unfazed, when the wide tunnel they were in started to ascend. At first it was just slightly slopped, but then gradually it turned into crumbling stairs.

Harry's back was slightly damp and sticky from the drying blood, and the cool air of the underground caves catching at his torn flesh stung irritably. He wondered if anyone had noticed him missing yet, surely lunch had long passed already. Hermione and Ron at least would have noticed his absence, wouldn't they?

"Are you turning him before we go to the council?" Justin suddenly spoke.

"Yes," Merrick replied shortly. "In the cave ahead; we'll stay there the night, allow him to adjust."

Harry would have stopped had Justin not forced him onward with a rough shove. They were turning him now, just like that? The stairs abruptly stopped their climb and opened into a lightly lit cave. The light came from the daylight coming from an opening in the ceiling of the cave above them, far above them. Harry's heartbeat quicken as he eyed the two Vampires.

"It's best you not struggle. It will only make it more painful." Harry backed away as he saw white fangs elongate and Merrick's eyes take on an unnatural glow.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Harry pleaded as his breathing hitched. He was afraid, no, he was terrified.

"No, but if you accept it, it'll be all the more easier on you," Merrick calmly stated.

Harry's eyes darted around him, looking for an escape, anything that would stop what he knew was about to happen. Harry's eyes widened as the Vampire suddenly lunged at him, and grabbed his hair, yanking his head back and exposing his neck. Harry tried to kick and push out of the monster's embrace with little effect, and then he felt it. The searing pain in his neck as the Vampire's fangs ripped through flesh and muscle.

Harry seethed as he felt his blood leave him and something else flow into his veins. Whatever it was that spread quickly through him wasn't painful per say, but it was extremely uncomfortable. Harry found himself abruptly on the ground and staring up at Merrick.

"Do not worry, it'll be quick. Just don't fight it." Harry barely heard Merrick's words as they felt muffled in his ears. He was beginning to feel numb, though the uncomfortable feeling was still there.

'_Use us. Use us_.' Harry suddenly heard the two snakes in his head again. '_Use our power. Transform_.'

"_How_?" he hissed out weakly in Parseltongue and the two Vampires looked at him uncertainly.

"Shouldn't he have turned by now?" Justin asked, though Harry barely heard it.

'_The same way you always have, will it to be. Like the first time. Like the first time_,' the two snakes hissed. '_You have your own magic, use ours to unblock it_.' Harry pushed his thoughts passed the uncomfortable feeling and the growing weakness that he associated with blood loss. He wasn't turning, that was the uncomfortable feeling. Bless Lyndira and her horrid, wonderful potion. Harry pushed himself to his feet, somehow knowing he could do this.

"You should never have tried to turn me," Harry growled low in his throat, a dim glow coming to his eyes, as he felt what ever block that held back his magic collapse. He let the power flow over him and regenerate him it was almost as intoxicating as the Dark Magic, but this was pure, this was his. "I am protected by the sands of the desert, the serpents of all lands, and Magic herself!" With that Harry felt the magic in him force him to morphed and he instantly turned into a sleek black wolf. His emerald eyes a brilliant blaze. He growled and charged at the two startled and disbelieving Vampires.

The scuffle only lasted a few moments. Ending when Harry's magic lashed out at the Vampires in the form of fire. The Vampire, Justin, was immediately swept up in the inferno and with a scream of agony reduced to nothing more then dust. Merrick got lucky and only lost his right arm in the blaze before he managed to disappear. Harry shifted back into himself and nearly collapsed breathing heavily. His vision swam as he looked around himself. He focused his thoughts on getting out of the caves as he ripped a piece of cloth from his Hogwarts robes and bundled it up to the still bleeding bite on his sore neck.

He looked around him again and noticed another dot of light from in front of him. He went towards it. It wasn't long before he stumbled into a familiar spot. Of all places… his mind swept with memories as he moved through the cave to the entrance. It was where he had once met Sirius, where his godfather had hidden for a time with Buckbeak. He was on the other side of Hogsmead.

Harry stepped out into the late afternoon sun and looked down the small mountain and into the active town of Hogsmead. Harry, not having the energy to sand travel back to Hogwarts, began to make his decent into the town.

It felt like hours before he even reached the town and he had to stop as he was starting to loose consciousness. He only made it to the front of the Three Broom Sticks before he collapsed onto the wet and muddy cobblestone street. The bite on his neck was all but a dull throb, but it was still bleeding. Harry looked up weakly when there was a sharp laugh above him and then he was suddenly grabbed and hoisted roughly to his feet.

"What do we have here? If it isn't Harry Potter, my master will be pleased," a gruff voice said into Harry's ear. He recognized that voice. He'd been on many raids with him.

Harry couldn't believe that of all places and of all times he would run into a Death Eater, and an Inner Circle Death Eater at that. "Dolohov," Harry growled. He didn't recognize the man by sight, he obviously had a glamour on and the man held Harry in a way that looked like he was helping him. But Harry could feel the unmistakable tip of a wand in his side.

"Very pleased," Dolohov hissed.

Harry eyed the man weakly. What was the odds of him escaping the Death Eaters grasp before getting hit with the Killing Curse he knew was on the tip of the Death Eater's tongue. Slim. Harry had no choice he wasn't going back to Voldemort. Harry focused his remaining energy on the front gates of Hogwarts. He wouldn't be able to make it through the wards on the castle, if he survived at all. His muscles tightened in preparation to sand travel. Dolohov felt it.

"Don't even think about it, Potter!" Harry closed his eyes and concentrated. "_Avada…!_" Harry didn't hear the rest of the curse, but he knew it hit him as he disappeared in a whirlwind of sand. What he didn't know was that his forced sand travel threw Dolohov through the front window of the Three Broom Sticks, a large piece of glass cutting into the man's right shoulder at the same time.

Harry arrived seconds later, a scream ripped out of his throat as he landed in a heap in front of the gates. Harry grabbed at his side that was bleeding even more then the wound on his neck. He was astonished he was alive at all and he was amazed that he was conscious. The curse, luckily had just skimmed off him.

Harry struggled to his feet and staggered through the gates and up the wet lawn to the castle, dripping blood behind him onto the waterlogged ground as he did. Harry pushed one of the large doors open with a shaking hand and moved into the castle proper. He looked around, but it appeared that no one was about. It was still only late afternoon, so he supposed everyone was still in classes. Harry closed the door behind him and started across the entry hall and up the stairs.

He dreaded the walk all the way to the Hospital Wing. Normally it wasn't so far, but at that moment, to Harry, it was miles. He was exhausted and he was pretty sure he was going into shock. That was when he heard a faint bell and the sounds and noises of students talking and running along halls assaulted him. Harry sat down on the stairs tiredly and waited for someone to notice him. Everyone was heading for their common rooms to get ready for the feast. Someone would see him.

"Harry!" Harry flinched at the sound of Hermione's exclamation of his name. "There you are. We missed you at lunch. I took notes for you in potions… Is that dirt all over you?"

"I'm fine, Hermione," Harry whispered hoarsely, he really wasn't but it was the only thing he could think to say. "But I'm going to kill Neville."

Hermione shook her head in confusion and then her eyes widened when she saw the blood dripping from the now soaked piece of fabric and the puddle beginning to form on the stone stairs. "Harry, you're bleeding!"

"In more places then one, actually. Not sure I can walk on my own right now, think you can help me to Madame Pomfrey," Harry said tiredly and Hermione nodded several times as she helped Harry to his feet. Ron suddenly showed up on Harry's other side and took Harry's weight off of Hermione almost entirely.

"What happened, Mate? How did you get like this?" Ron questioned and Hermione watched Harry shake his head to keep himself awake, as she helped him along.

"Who did this to you?" she asked.

"Tell you when I'm not ready to pass out." Students gave the trio a wide birth in the halls and Harry was rather surprised that they didn't run into any Professors, not even Filch. They quickly reached the Hospital Wing a trail of blood following them. They entered to find Madame Pomfrey tending to a pale faced Neville.

Harry's eyes suddenly glowed bright green and he found his strength return to him ten fold as his eyes laid on his dorm mate. Blood loss completely forgotten, Harry disappeared from Ron and Hermione's side in a whirlwind of sand and reappeared beside Neville. Harry had the boy lifted up by his robes and against the wall half a second later. The wound on his side bled more profusely, but Harry ignored it.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed.

"How could you? You traitor!" snarled Harry harshly. "Answer me!" Harry growled slamming Neville into the wall. "Don't just stare at me, answer me, damn it!"

"I'm so s-sorry, Harry," Neville stammered out, tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Harry dropped Neville and backed away from him, shaking his head as the anger left him to be filled with an overwhelming feeling of betrayal. "I thought we were friends, all these years. I thought I knew you. Just shows how much I know my friends." Harry whispered as dropped to the floor and Neville slid to the floor as well, staring at him. Madame Pomfrey, who had her wand out and was looking between the boys, in utter shock, snapped out of it when Harry fell.

"Mr. Potter, what on earth?" she blurted as she moved quickly to his side, taking in his most visible injury. "What caused this?" She asked as she used her wand to cut the fabric of his robes and uniform away from the wound at his side.

"The Killing Curse, but it barely touched me," Harry breathed. Madame Pomfrey was throwing healing spell after healing spell at the wound shaking her head each time as the flow of blood lessened but didn't stop.

"Miss Granger, quickly come over here and hold this," Madame Pomfrey ordered as she conjured a bundle of bandages and pushed it into the wound. Harry gasped as the Medi-Witch put pressure to the wound. Hermione broke out of her shock and did as Madame Pomfrey instructed holding the cloth forcefully to his side. Her face very pale, but she didn't complain. "I need a real Healer. This is way out of my league," she said as she swiftly moved to the fireplace at the other end of the ward.

Harry pulled the completely soaked cloth at his neck away, seething as he did so. "I've been bitten. I don't think I'll turn though," Harry said hoarsely.

The Medi-Witch let out a gasp as she looked over her shoulder. She immediately turned back to the Floo and then stood back as a man came through. He immediately came over to Harry.

"I'm Healer Mark Pomfrey. Poppy has explained the situation. You do seem to get yourself into tight spots don't you, Potter," the healer said as he first healed the bite and then set to work on the more troubling wound. "Bitten by a Vampire and hit by a Killing Curse all in the same day that is quite a feat. No wonder Poppy gave you your own bed," he joked though Harry could see the troubled look in his eyes. "Poppy give him a Blood Replenishing potion, full strength."

"But, Mark, what if it…"

"It's a chance we'll have to take; he's lost too much blood. I'm surprised he's still conscious."

Harry was surprised too as he stared at Neville who was still sitting on the floor across from him. He had taken advantage of him in his weakened state and handed him over to someone who wanted to turn him into a monster. It was as good as handing him over to Voldemort. Harry had to wonder, if it had been Voldemort with the cure for Neville's parents, would Neville have turned him over to him as well. He didn't want to believe that, but he couldn't dismiss the thought either.

"Hermione," Harry croaked out, still not taking his eyes from Neville even as Madame Pomfrey handed him a Blood-Replenishing potion. "Please get the Headmaster."

"I don't believe… Neville…" Ron whispered as he stared at the boy. Ron stood stock still looking at Neville with disbelief in his eyes, and was only dragged out of his shock by Hermione's hand on his arm. Hermione looked back to Harry and then back to Neville again before she finally left the Hospital Wing, dragging Ron with her.

Neville nodded his head in acceptance and looked away from Harry. He'd have his wand snapped for this, at the very least, and be expelled. Harry knew the consequences for this was much higher though. It was illegal for a Vampire to turn another without consent and proper filing of paperwork, the punishment for that was death. To help a Vampire to succeed in doing so was also at least twenty-five years in Azkaban.

It was another couple of minutes before the Headmaster arrive and with him was James and surprisingly Snape, Hermione and Ron following behind them. James rushed past Dumbledore to Harry immediately.

"Harry, are you alright?" James swept his concerned eyes over his son but didn't get in the way of Madame Pomfrey or the Healer. The Medi-Witch handed Harry another Blood-Replenishing potion, after settling that it wasn't going to do him harm. Harry drank it this on too, ignoring the horrid aftertaste. He was starting to feel stronger, but his strength kept slipping way.

Harry nodded to his father's inquiring and looked to Dumbledore. Before he had a chance to say anything, Neville stood up. "It's my fault, Sir. I led Harry to him. He offered a cure for my parents." Neville held out the vials as if showing the proof of his crime and Dumbledore took them. He looked over them with a curious expression and then back to Neville, no twinkle in his eyes.

"This is very serious, Mr. Longbottom. Harry could have been turned, he could have been killed," Dumbledore said gravely.

"I know, Sir." Neville looked at his feet.

"Severus please escort Mr. Longbottom to my office, I will join you shortly," Dumbledore commanded with a heaviness in his words.

Snape nodded and after motioning for Neville to go in front of him the two left. Neville had looked at Harry with sincere regret in his eyes before he left and Harry was determined to do all he could to keep the boy out of Azkaban at least. It was enough for him that Neville showed remorse for his actions.

Harry's gaze stayed on the closed doors to the hospital wing for several silent minutes before he gave a small sad and tired smile to Dumbledore. "My magic's back, it saved my life."

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A/N: Sorry it's been a while, been pretty busy, schools starting again soon and there just seems to be an endless amount of things to do. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, another soon to come, who knows how soon though.


	18. Awakening

_In a coma, Harry gains knowledge, but will he remember what he's learned when he awakens._

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Seventeen - Awakening

Dumbledore smiled back at Harry when he told him his magic was back. Hermione and Ron smiled too. "That's wonderful, Harry."

"What's going to happen to Neville? I don't want him to go to Azkaban," Harry said tiredly. James who was kneeling beside his son sat down fully and made Harry lay down with his head in James' lap. Harry didn't fight his father, he was grateful for it. He had little strength.

"Harry, you could have been turned…" Dumbledore argued.

"I don't care. He just wanted a cure for his parents. If it were anything else, power, money… I'd gladly see him in Azkaban. But a cure for his parents, I probably would have done the same in his shoes. It wasn't as if they were going to kill me and Neville knew that." Harry's words came out breathlessly and trailed of into a whisper by the end, but Harry didn't notice. He was starting to feel cold as Madame Pomfrey gave him another vial of blood replenishing potion. Harry drank it. But he felt little difference.

Dumbledore looked at Harry, concern in his aged blue eyes and then looked to Healer Pomfrey. The Healer evaded his eyes, but not Harry's as Harry followed the Headmaster's gaze to them. What Harry saw there frightened him more then being turned. Hopelessness. Time seemed to slow down to a crawl as Harry stared back at the Healer. Harry lost track of all around him as he stared back into the man's dark blue orbs. He was dying.

Time seemed to come back to him after a while and Harry looked up to his father with fear in his eyes, as he laid on the infirmary floor. Healer Pomfrey was still frantically trying to heal the wound on his side. His head was still in his dad's lap and James was running his fingers through his sweat-drenched hair. Harry could feel that the blood replenishing potions weren't working anymore. Madame Pomfrey had just made him take his fourth in the last fifteen minutes, at least he thought it was his fourth, and it was only slightly covering for the blood that was pooling on the floor around him, even as the Medi-Witch banished it for the fifth time.

Hermione and Ron, as well as Dumbledore, stood off to the side watching as there was nothing else that they could do. Ron had Hermione wrapped in his arms. They were both trying not to cry as they watched their friend slipping away from them. Harry was oblivious to this. He was dying.

"Dad…" Harry whispered. He couldn't feel his body anymore and his heart rate was slowing. He couldn't even feel the coldness anymore, which had swept over him more then five minutes ago. He was so tired. "Dad…"

"Harry I'm here. Everything's going to be alright. We'll get you fixed up in no time," James said with a tremble in his voice as he looked at the Healer. The Healer looked back a James with a grim expression before he went back to his fruitless work. "Everything's going to be alright," James repeated looking back down to his son.

"No it's not," Harry whispered, swallowing hard as a tear slipped out of the corner of his eye. "I'm… I'm dying."

"No Harry. Don't say that. Hold on, please, just a little while longer," James pleaded, tears coming to his own eyes. "Please, hold on."

Harry's breathing was starting to come in shallow gasps. "I'm so tired… Dad…" Harry's eyes suddenly widened as a sharp pain ran through him, causing a shutter to course through his body. "Dad!" Harry cried as he tightened his hands on James' arm that held onto him tightly.

"Harry!"

"I'm s-sorry... I c-can't… I love you… I…" Harry couldn't keep his eyes open any longer and there was a pressure in his chest that wouldn't allow him to take a breath. "Dad…" Harry closed his eyes and let his body go limp in his father's arms. He couldn't fight anymore; he hadn't the strength to this time. Harry embraced Death, for there was nothing else left for him to do.

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Harry was amazed that he was at the Halloween feast; he was amazed he was alive at all. It had taken four Blood-Replenishing potions at full dose, and even then the Healer was having a hard time healing the wound made by the Killing Curse. Harry again surprised everyone when his magic suddenly took over the job of healing and closed the wound almost immediately, leaving another scar, this one a long jagged line. Another set of scars was left on him as well, right above the white mark from Cin. He now had twin puncture holes. They were raw red and the area around them was dark blue, almost black. The healer said that they might take as many as two years fully to disappear.

The surge of magic that had closed the wound, left Harry filled with energy and he noticed that Hermione and Ron's marks glowed. It wasn't till the feast that he found out that all of the D.A.'s marks glowed at the same time as Ron and Hermione's had. He was amazed when they had all revealed that they had felt an odd sensation from their marks about the same time Harry had been hit with the Killing Curse. None of them could identify it till Hermione suggested that it could have been that they were all feeling that he was in danger. They all vowed to remember that feeling for the future.

That Neville Longbottom had given Harry over to Vampires willingly had left the school in shock. No one had suspected that he would do such a thing. The Gryffindors specifically sat in a kind of somber quiet, but no more so then the seventh years. No one wanted to believe that Neville had done such a thing, but the bite on Harry's neck left no mistake for them.

Had Neville not confessed, Harry wouldn't have plead with Dumbledore to keep the whole ordeal quiet from the ministry. Neville was expelled and had his wand snapped as Harry knew it would be, but Dumbledore kept his word and let Harry know that Neville would not be arrested. He also let Harry know that the cure for Neville's parents was being administered that night by Healer Pomfrey, who Harry found out was Madame Pomfrey's eldest son. He hadn't know that she had a son, or any children.

Hermione and Ron sat on either side of Harry. Draco had come over and joined them at the Gryffindor table for the night and was sitting beside Ginny while Mikhail sat beside her, having also joined them at the Gryffindor table for the feast.

Hermione laughed suddenly at something Ginny said and several grins broke out on their end of the table. Harry looked up at his father at the Head table. He sat between Aska and Snape and waved at him when he noticed Harry looking at him. Harry smiled and waved back and then turned to answer Hermione's question that he didn't hear completely.

"What was that, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"When are you going to wake up?" Harry shook his head at the girl. Not understanding why she'd ask him that.

"What?" Harry asked when she stared back at him.

"Please wake up, Harry," she said but her mouth didn't move, just smiled at him. Harry looked to Ron with questioning eyes, to see if he'd heard Hermione, but when he turning his head, Ron wasn't there. No one was there.

Harry looked around him quickly. Everyone had disappeared. The entire hall was empty except for him.

"Oh, Harry," a female voice said softly behind him and Harry jumped up and spun around.

"Mum? What's going on? Am I…?"

"No. You are in a coma," Lily said walking towards her son.

"A coma… But what was all… Why did I think that…?" Harry stumbled over his words. He was so confused.

"I don't know. I don't know how I'm here either. The only thing I can assume is that you are in some kind of limbo, between Life and Death. How I am able to converse with you I don't know. I don't know how long you will be here; I don't know how long I'll be here," Lily said as she put her hand on Harry's cheek.

Harry felt warmth from her hand on his cheek. "Will I be given a choice again? To live or die?"

Lily closed her eyes for a moment and then looked back up at her son. "I don't know that either."

"Oh." Harry sat down on the bench at the Gryffindor table and looked back up at his mum as he took her hand in his. "This is very strange. It feels like I'm in the living world. I can feel your hand and it's warm. I can smell the melting wax from the candles. Is this meant to make me want to stay?"

Lily looked back at Harry and shrugged. "I really don't know."

"Ah, finally, you've woken up!"

Harry's head shot away from his mother's eyes and his own landed on a man, he'd never thought he'd see again. "Sirius!" Harry smiled brightly and was across the hall in a few strides and had his arms flung around the man a second after that.

"Sirius, what are you doing here? How are you here?" Lily said as she too embraced the man as soon as Harry had let him go.

"Lily? But you're dead. How in the nine hells did you get here? You're not supposed to be here!" Sirius held Lily in front of him with both arms, looking her over.

"Well I don't know how I got here and I'm well aware that I'm dead. The question is how are you here? You aren't dead!" Lily said crossing her arms over her chest.

"Umm, actually, he…" Harry began but was interrupted by Sirius.

"Actually, I'm stuck here, until the damn veil decides to spit my body back out anyways," Sirius grumbled.

"The Veil… Wait, the Veil in the Department of Mysteries? You went in that, are you insane!" Lily screeched.

Sirius held up his hands in innocence. "I didn't mean to. My damn cousin pushed me in, with a rather uncomfortable hex, in fact."

Harry gapped between the two. "Wait a minute. You aren't dead?" Harry asked.

"No kiddo, I'm not," Sirius said with a smile as he ruffled Harry's long hair. Making it cascade over his shoulders. "Just stuck here, it's dreadfully boring. Every once in a while, some bloke will show up and I get to talk with them, but they usually aren't here long. They always end up leaving one way or another."

Harry nodded and then jumped when a person suddenly appeared beside the three. "So you're the Protected One," said the woman. She was dressed in a simple white gown and had plain brown hair, everything was plain about her really, but her eyes were completely black, a bottomless pit that Harry found himself almost drowning in as she looked him over. "Hmm, what do they find so worthy about you?" She asked with a sneer.

"Oh, come on now; don't be so hard on him…" Sirius began but trailed off at the glare that he received from the woman.

Harry's eyes narrowed at her comment. "I don't know," he bit back heatedly. "I don't know why anything happens to me. I could care less about being the Protected One, or the Heir of Merlin, or any other damn title that fate seems to want to force onto me. All I've ever wanted was a normal life with my family and friends!"

Sirius smiled at his godson, Lily just looked confused at him. The women, who's eyes were once black, now held eyes of the deepest sapphire as she too smiled. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear Harry Potter." Harry looked at the women in confusion and then he dropped to his knees in awe when he felt who this being was.

"Lady Magic?" Harry stammered and Lily's eyes widened at her son's words.

"What? No way," Lily blurted and Sirius smirked at her.

Sirius patted Harry on the head lightly. "It's alright Harry, she's used to this," he chuckled. "The last person who met her fainted, we didn't until then, know it was possible to faint here."

The women smiled softly at Harry for a moment and then her eyes took on a serious glint. "Up on your feet with you, we have much to do before you can go back," she said as she helped him up.

Harry got to his feet and Lily looked at Lady Magic curiously. "Do?"

"You didn't think I was going to send your son back to the living world with nothing, did you? When I am through with him, not even the Flobberworm that is Voldemort will be able to stand in his way… Assuming he remembers all of this, of course," she answered with a smile and then she turned to Harry and Harry nearly flinched at the way she was looking at him. It was the same look that his father and Aska held when it came to his training. It seemed that even in a coma he was going to be worked hard.

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Ginny sat in the Hospital wing holding Harry's hand and reading her charms text. Yesterday it had been Hermione sitting with him, the day before Ron had sat with him, and the day before that, Mikhail was by his side. Tomorrow it would be another of Harry's close friends or yet again his father. For the first couple of weeks, James had sat at Harry's side constantly; 'I won't leave Harry alone!' he had protested. He wouldn't allow anyone else but himself to be near his son either, but the Medi-Witch forced him to allow shifts, for both the man's health and sanity.

It had been almost two months and their had been no change when it was concerning Harry Potter. When it concerned the rest of the world, however, there had been much change. Neville for one had been expelled and had also been forbidden ever to use magic again. Some had thought the punishment too lenient, such as James, but no one wanted to go against Harry's wishes and that was the only thing that kept the boy out of Azkaban. The Longbottom's, on a happier note, had been cured and were recovering nicely. They would never be Aurors again, but at least they were sane. On the front of Voldemort, there had been many attacks and parents were pulling their children from school left and right, afraid that the school would be next on the Dark Lords hit list. Things were not going well in the war. Diagon Alley had been hit just the week before for the second time. Fred and George had managed to escape again relatively unharmed, but Percy hadn't been so lucky, he was still in St. Mungo's.

Today it was Ginny's shift and though she was trying to focus on her charms work, her mind was with the young man beside her. Hermione had thought that she had gotten a response out of him yesterday, but it had turned out to be a twitch of a muscle. He hadn't been waking up as everyone had all hoped.

Though Ginny hadn't been there the day Harry had nearly died, she had been told what had happened. No one was sure how he had been hit by the Killing Curse again, just that he had been. She learned that they had nearly lost him and it had taken Ashea storming into the Hospital wing and her healing Harry again with Parsel-Magic for them to bring him back. They had thought that like last time he would wake up within a week, but everyone could see, even though it wasn't said aloud, that Healer Pomfrey wasn't confident of him waking up at all. Healer Pomfrey stopped in every other day, to check up on Harry, always to find no improvement

Ashea had not returned to the Aker. She was seen to be in the Hospital Wing at least once a day and talking with Cin who was currently curled up, where he had been since Ashea had arrived, on the end of Harry's bed. Cin refused to leave his new master even with Madame Pomfrey's arguing of pets not being allowed in her hospital wing. Ashea had informed the Medi-Witch quite rudely that Cin was _not_ a pet.

Ginny finally set aside her Charms work, figuring that she wasn't going to get it done today, at least not in the Hospital wing. She looked at Harry. He was pale and had dark circles around his eyes. He looked dead, but the slow steady pulse and the rising and fall of his chest made sure that everyone knew that he wasn't.

Ginny took Harry's right hand in both of hers. She rubbed her thumb over the scar on his palm and then turned his hand over and looked at it. She's never seen it there before. It was a coiled snake with it's head lifted in a striking position. Was it the same scar Ron had said he had seen on Harry's hand at Grimmauld Place last year after Harry had left the house? It seemed odd that the house would have given Harry such a scar. She rubbed her thumb over the raised serpent again and then nearly dropped his hand when she heard a voice from beside her.

"_Marked by serpents he is. I would have struck him dead at my mistresses orders had I not seen that on his hand before he spoke to me_."

Ginny looked to Cin. "I can understand you! How?" she asked with wide eyes.

"_The mark, it's not just a scar; it allows others who touch it to understand serpents. I do not think even Harry is aware of this. It also holds other powers, I can sense it, but I do not know what these powers are."_ Cin hissed as he looked at Harry's scar and then to Ginny.

"Oh." Ginny looked to Harry and then reached up and brushed a piece of his raven hair from his face, exposing the scar that he was famous for.

"Sirius…" Harry suddenly whispered and Ginny jumped, her eyes widening.

"Harry? Harry, wake up please." Ginny urged and Harry's hand tightened around hers. "Madame Pomfrey!" she shouted without taking her eyes from Harry. "I think Harry's waking up!" she said excitement in his voice and continued to coax Harry into consciousness. "Come one Harry, come back to us!"

The Medi-Witch ran out of her office and was already running scans with her wand when Harry moaned and blinked open his eyes, though he didn't appear to be seeing anything, as his eyes were unfocussed. "Mum…" he whispered before his eyes finally focused on Ginny. "Ginny?" he said incoherently.

"Yes, Harry, I'm here." A tear rolled down her cheek as she smiled down at him.

"Madame Pomfrey? Ginny? What the hell happened to me?" Harry ground out through his scratchy throat, his voice nothing more then a whisper and his words slurring slightly.

"This better be the last time I see you in here for anything more then a common cold or Quidditch accident. You are far too young to have so many close calls," Madame Pomfrey scolded but she had a smile in her eyes.

Ginny chuckled and Harry just looked between the two women in confusion. "Right? What?" he whispered.

Ginny squeezed his hand and then leapt to her feet. "I'm going to go tell everyone you're awake!"

"You most certainly will…" Madame Pomfrey started, but Ginny was already gone. "Not," she finished and Harry just shook his head in confusion again.

Ginny ran through the halls of Hogwarts, it was lunchtime and everyone was in the Great Hall. She literally skidded across the entrance to the Hall before she doubled back and ran into the Hall proper, a smile on her face brighter then anyone had seen in the last month.

Ginny didn't even bother going up to the head table as she yelled down the length of the hall. "Harry's awake!"

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A/N: Wow, it seems forever since I last updated. I blame that on school, just haven't had the time and my muse took a brief hiatus, it's back. Hope to go back to my chapter every week or two, but we'll see with school and all.


	19. Leaving

_Harry leaves Hogwarts to stop Voldemort for good._

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Eighteen - Leaving

Snow was piling up outside Hogwarts. It was a few days till Christmas and it was a rather frigged day, not that Harry really noticed all this as he stared out one of the slightly frosted over windows in the Hospital Wing, at the heavily falling snow. He was deep in thought. He had learned so much in his overdrawn coma, but it was all jumbled and disordered. It only made the slightest of sense to him, but it was slowly coming together. The memories and the information was crashing down on him, and he did not like it.

He was powerful, that was for certain, but how to tell everyone just how powerful he was? And he still had a decision to make. Lady Magic told him that he'd always be powerful, but to be happy he would have to give his power up. He wanted to be happy, but did he want to remain a wizard, and probably one of the most powerful men in the world, or did he want to give up his magic and become a Muggle? If that was what he had to do to be happy, he didn't know if he could do it. And then there was Voldemort.

He had decided the moment he had woken up and was fully aware of his surroundings, that as soon as he was physically well enough, he was going to go after Voldemort and kill him for good. This latest brush with death had made him realize how mortal he really was. So there was a prophecy, it didn't mean he couldn't die. And he'd be damned if he did before he took Voldemort out of this world for good. But how was he going to tell everyone that he was leaving again?

Harry heard voices coming from the hall, if he was correct, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Draco were not too far away and were coming to visit. The only thing was Harry didn't want any visitors. He didn't want to see anyone; he wanted to be left alone.

Harry didn't look up to his friends as the hospital wing door opened and then closed again. He stayed staring out of the window and that was when he decided. Everything came crashing down around him, he had friends in the Wizarding World, he had family, but he didn't have a life. He was always fighting for something. Even after Voldemort he would still be fighting, he knew. He didn't want to do it anymore, he didn't want to fight. He wanted to live, he wanted to be happy.

"I'm leaving." Silence followed his words and Harry could feel the stares of his friends' eyes behind him. "I'm going to kill Voldemort and then I'm leaving." Harry looked back to his friends. "I'm not coming back."

"Harry…" Ginny whispered but then fell silent as she stared at him.

Ron shook his head, anger clear in his eyes, but it was only there for a moment, then it was gone. "Where will go?" he asked.

"Will we be able to at least contact you?" There were tears in Hermione's eyes as she asked this, almost as if she was expecting his answer.

Harry shook his head. "I don't know where I'm going. I don't want to be contacted right away, by anyone. Give me a year to live, maybe two and then I'll send you all a letter. If for nothing more then to let everyone know how I am."

"What about your father, Mikhail… They won't let you go so easily," Draco spoke up.

"They have each other; they'll be fine without me. I need some time on my own. They'll understand," Harry stated and Draco nodded reluctantly.

"When are you umm…?"

"Leaving?" Harry finished for Ginny, she nodded. "I'm not sure, soon. I'll leave a letter. I don't want anyone following me."

"You're going to face him alone, aren't you?" Draco asked; no accused. Anger sparked back up in Ron's eyes. Hermione looked away from him. Ginny just stared at him, waiting for an answer.

Harry pushed himself out of bed with effort, only wavering slightly when his bare feet touched the stone floor. He walked the few paces to the end of his bed. It was difficult; he had been in a coma for two months and hadn't been on his feet more then a handful of times since coming out of it. But he needed to be on his feet for this.

"I have to face him alone." Ginny looked away from him. Hermione started to cry again. "You have to understand. If I were going there to knock out a few Death Eaters, to capture them and turn them over to the ministry, I wouldn't be so reluctant to bring others with me, but…"

"But what?" asked Ron, "Why can't we help you? Why won't you let us help you!"

"I'm going there to slaughter Voldemort and anyone who gets in my way. I'm not going to leave a single soul alive," Harry said this with a fierceness in his voice the others had never heard, but his eyes remained cold and emotionless and this frightened them. "I want to be alone." Harry turned his back on them.

There was a moment of complete silence and then he heard his friends leave, he didn't turn around until he heard the door close behind them, and he hung his head. He never wanted to hurt them. Before he could turn back a shadow fell across him and he turned around thinking one of his friends had stayed behind. He nearly fell against the end of his bed. He certainly didn't think he'd be confronting an obviously incensed Carpathian. "Good you're awake, now I can kill you myself!" Riemann shoved him and Harry grabbed onto the bed to stay on his feet.

Harry stared back a Riemann, so Voldemort had found out about them when he had rummaged through his mind. "I never meant for the Grove to come into danger, Riemann."

"The Elf sisters were captured, Mata is severely hurt. Murk isn't sure she'll live! And she's not the only one. It's all because you told Voldemort where the Grove was!" Mann shouted angrily and Harry had to push aside the feeling of fear that tried to overrun him. He never seen Riemann so angry and he truly feared for his life. But he wouldn't let the fear paralyze him.

Harry stood tall and ridged in front of Riemann, even with his wavering strength. "I would never willingly give up the Grove or anyone in it and you know that. Yes, I told Voldemort, but the information never passed through my lips. If you still feel that I am guilty for the destruction of the Grove, then by all means, kill me, just let me kill Voldemort first."

Harry gasped in a breath and his hands instinctively went to the cold hand that wrapped around his neck tightly. The hospital wing doors suddenly banged open and several people came in but Riemann did not loosen his grip, even with the wands pointed at his back. If anything he tightened it. "I should kill you!" Riemann growled. Harry simply stared back into the Carpathian's dark eyes, almost if daring him too. His grip suddenly loosened and he dropped his hand. Harry gasped in a breath as his hand grasped at his sore neck. "You are going to help me get back Alara and Evine and then I never want to see your face again."

Harry nodded. He grabbed the edge of the bed as his legs wanted to give out under his weight. He'd only been awake for two days after all. Harry looked around Riemann at his father, Hermione, and Ron, who still had their wands pointed at Riemann. Aska had never taken his wand out and walked around the other three calmly. Ginny and Draco stood behind them, still in the doorway.

"Mann, what has happened? Why are you here?" Aska questioned. "Why did you attack Harry?"

"The Grove has been destroyed," Riemann stated darkly, still staring at Harry.

"What? Is everyone alright?" Aska looked between Harry and Riemann.

"Murk's not sure Mata's going to survive and Alara and Evine have been captured," Harry answered; his voice slightly hoarse. He closed his eyes for a moment and then looked back to Mann. "Give me a couple of hours and we'll leave to get them back. I know where they're being held." Harry said evenly as he pushed himself away from the bed, wavering only slightly.

"Harry you can't be serious! I love Alara and Evine like sisters, but in your condition it's suicide!" Aska protested. Harry didn't even glance at him.

"No," Harry whispered, his mind slightly elsewhere. Sirius; that was another thing Harry had learned and hadn't revealed to anyone yet. Sirius was alive, stuck in the veil, but alive. A smile almost came to Harry's lips before he suppressed it. This was not the time to think of his Godfather. "I am very serious. Alara and Evine helped save my life. I will not let them die in Voldemort's prison!" Harry walked a few passes before he was stopped by his father.

"I will not allow you to do this! Others will go, not you," James protested gripping Harry's upper arm. Harry's eyes glowed slightly as he lifted his hand only a centimeter and James was suddenly lifted up and pinned against the wall. It didn't hurt him or even nock the air out of him, but he was stuck.

"No one is as powerful as I am, Magic has seen to that," Harry said dully. "I will rescue the sisters and then I will kill Voldemort and then I am leaving." Harry dropped his father gently and then left the hospital wing. No one went after him, not that they would have found him even if they had tried.

Harry had gone to Gryffindor tower, if only to see it one last time. His belongings were all still there and after he had showered and changed he sat on his four-poster bed and stared out the tower window into the winter afternoon. He would miss his friends, his family, greatly, but he would not miss the magic. It was practically his blood now. It was an addiction.

Lady Magic had wanted him to be something he didn't want to be, he couldn't be. She didn't understand when he had said 'no,' nor had his mother or Sirius. Had they not heard him when he said that all he had ever wanted to be was normal? Why did they have to force it upon him anyways? Harry clenched his fist and thin blue streaks of lightning crackled around it. He was too powerful now; no one should be so powerful. He should not be so powerful.

"I don't want it. I don't want to be the Protector. Find someone else and leave me alone." Harry said allowed to himself, to Hogwarts, to Magic. The determination in his voice was crystal clear to anyone who was listening. No one was. He shook his head and stood. After this was all over, then he could be normal, he hoped.

He'd avoided everyone he saw. Harry had dressed simply in his training clothes. His white linen pants and shirt made his skin even more pale and his raven hair, even though it was tied back didn't help his sickly appearance. He had a heavy cloak rapped around his shoulders and on his back were two empty sheaths. His boots made hardly any nose on the stone floor and he walked with a slight limp, but he didn't let it bother him as he stepped into the entrance hall.

He looked around himself. At the moving staircases, at the large wooden doors that marked the entrance to Hogwarts and the open archway that led into the Great Hall, now full of children. He'd never see any of this again. He wasn't coming back. He no longer belonged here. Hogwarts was no longer his home.

"Are you ready to go?" Riemann asked from beside him.

"It's funny, I never did see myself graduating with everyone else and now I'm not going to."

"You could still come back after this," Riemann said as he placed his hand on Harry's shoulder.

"No, I no longer belong here," Harry sighed. "Wait here, there is still something I need to get, and something I need to do. Harry turned into the Great Hall.

Not many had looked up when he entered, not many expected to see him away from the Hospital Wing so soon. But dinner abruptly stopped when Harry, with a grinding sound of metal against stone pulled Gryffindor's sword from it's slot. Harry sheathed it just as Dumbledore had stood at the Head Table.

"Harry, what are you doing?" He demanded.

Harry didn't answer as he grabbed and pulled Slytherin's sword out of the stone floor and as well, sheathed it in the sheath that crossed it's twin. Harry reached his hand into an inside pocket on his cloak and pulled out his wand. Everyone watched in horror while he carelessly snapped the brother wand to Voldemort's own in half.

Stray magic burst out of the two broken halves, but quickly faded. Harry dropped the wand pieces onto the floor with a clatter and then he smiled. He looked up to Dumbledore, ignoring everyone else in the hall. "Thank you," he said and then he turned and walked out of the hall and out of Hogwarts for the last time.

Harry was surprised that no one tried to stop him as he and Riemann left the protective wards of Hogwarts. It was cold and windy but just as it didn't bother the Carpathian next to him; it oddly enough didn't seem to bother him either. Harry grabbed onto Riemann's arm and disappeared in a whirlwind of sand.

They reappeared on a high cliff overlooking the ocean. Harry stared out over the deep blue waters remembering the last time he had been here. He looked to his right and could see the small Wizarding village, all decked out for the holidays. He remembered the boy he had given his Firebolt too. He hadn't thought about him at all and was just now realizing that he hadn't seen him at Hogwarts this year. He wondered what happened to him.

"Where are we?" Riemann asked, bringing Harry out of his memories.

"This is where I died," Harry stated. "That is where Evine and Alara are." Harry pointed towards, what was, a moment ago, open space. But now a large dark keep, which looked like it had grown out of the land itself, appeared there, the keep would not always be visible.

"I assume you know your way around it then?" Harry looked at the Carpathian when his voice wavered on the question.

"You're not afraid, are you, Riemann?"

"Not in the least. I was just thinking about how difficult it is going to be to get in," Riemann said with confidence as he looked at the towering structure.

"Getting in isn't the hard part. It's getting out you should be worried about," Harry mumbled before he started to walk towards the keep. The large double doors that faced them opened and Harry smirked.

"Why if it isn't ickle baby Potter; I see you're done with your nap. Come to join us again?" Bellatrix asked in a sickly sweet voice as she was flanked by at least a dozen Death Eaters all with their wands pointed at his heart.

"Actually, I've come to kill you," Harry said with confidence.

Bellatrix laughed. "You and what army; all I see is you and your friend here, hardly a match for our master's forces."

Harry's smirk grew wider. "You're right dear, Bella. Your master's forces are hardly a match to us. Harry lifted his hand swiftly and a wall of blue fire sprang to life in front of him, melting the snow at their feet.

Riemann jumped back. "What are you trying to do, kill us?"

"Hardly, it's fake, see, an illusion." Harry put his hand into the wall of flame and brought it back out again unscathed. "But they don't know that." The proof of that was the screams on the other side of the wall as the fire advanced on the keep. When Harry released the wall three Death Eaters were unconscious and the rest had scattered. The only one left was Bellatrix who was raging in obvious furry at the now hiding Death Eaters. "Fear, Bella, is a very good motivator. Don't you think?" Harry called to the still screaming vampire.

"I will kill you, Potter, no one humiliates me like this! Avada Kedavra!" Harry rolled his eyes as the curse soared towards them; they really needed to come up with something better.

Harry held up his left hand and the curse stopped in mid air and disintegrated. "I learned a few things while I was taking my _nap_, as you say, Bella. Care to try again?"

Bella stepped backwards here eyes wide and her mouth trying to form words that wouldn't come. She ran into the keep, leaving the door wide open.

"Yes, run to your master," Harry mumbled before he moved forward. "Now that the door's open…" Harry motioned for Riemann to follow as he stepped across the threshold and over the unconscious Death Eaters; new recruits. "We have probably ten minutes before Lord Voldemort arrives from his manor. I suggest we move quickly and obtain the sisters. Let me do the rest." Riemann looked as if he was going to protest, but didn't, nor did he say anything about Harry stopping the killing curse. He simply followed in silence. Harry was glad for that. Now was not the time to be questioned about his ability to manipulate magic, a gift from Lady Magic, a curse, which he'd soon be free of.

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A/N: I have nothing to say. How odd is that.


	20. Betrayal for a Pendent

_Harry fights Voldemort and a Riddle saves his life._

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Nineteen – Betrayal for a Pendent

Harry moved swiftly, far too fast for just a mere human, pushed beyond his normal limits by the magic in his veins. Luckily, Riemann wasn't human and could keep up with Harry's pace. Harry didn't even bother stopping at every corner they came to, nor did he look behind him to make sure Riemann was still with him. He knew who was in front of him and behind him. He could feel their magical signatures. It was how he knew he was going the right way to find Alara and Evine. It was also how he knew Voldemort had arrived moments ago.

Harry carelessly turned another corner as they came from a third staircase. He lifted his hand and the Death Eaters in the hall all flew against the walls with sickening cracks. He was like a swift moving plague, and all the Death Eaters in his path were quickly killed before they even had a chance to fight back.

Harry moved through the maze like corridors of Slytherin's fortress as if he had lived there for years. He had no trouble navigating, as a map of the stronghold was one of the things downloaded into his brain from Slytherin's diary, which he'd have to be sure to liberate from Voldemort before he killed him.

Harry ignored the worried expression on Riemann's face as he killed two more Death Eaters in their path. He could see that even Riemann was unnerved by the carelessness with which he dispatched the Death Eaters. It worried Harry as well. But something in him, a coldness, didn't care about the lives he was taking. A voice, which sounded suspiciously like Lady Magic, said that they were like animals and disserved to die like animals. The problem was that they weren't animals and even animals had a right to life. Though Harry didn't agree, he couldn't fight against the Magic in his veins that urged him on and it disgusted him that he was being controlled yet again, even if it was by good.

At the pace that they had moved through the keep, it didn't take them long before they reached the prisoner holding cells. The dungeons were dark and damp and smelled of blood and dirt. Harry didn't even lift his hand, he just looked at all the cell doors and they all burst open with a bang. He already knew some of them were dead and anger rolled off him in waves. No one should ever be caged like this. The sound of the banging against the stonewalls was so loud that they didn't hear the sounds of the dying Death Eaters that were also thrown against the walls, before they even had a chance to aim their wands. Riemann swept forward, looking for the Elvin sisters, he glared at Harry as he passed, but Harry didn't notice.

Harry moved down the rows of cells. He reached into his pocket in his cloak and pulled out a bag of marbles. He smirked as he poured them out into his hand and they glowed blue for a moment. Voldemort was going to hate him. Every cell he came across that had a live person in it, he tossed in a marble and the person disappeared. They would reappear in St. Mungo's; the hospital was going to have their hands full.

Harry reached the end of the cells, where Riemann was waiting with Alara and Evine, they were in bad shape, but they'd live. Harry held out his hand with three marbles in it. "Take them and leave. They'll bring you to Hogwarts."

"Harry, we can't leave you here alone…" Alara began but stopped when a coughing fit overtook her.

"She's right, Harry, I don't think I should leave you. Even I don't take life as callously as you have today, and the speed that you were moving… It's not human. Something is wrong with you," Riemann said adamantly.

Harry simply smiled. "I know. Don't worry. Just go, Voldemort's here." Harry turned his back on the three. Voldemort had indeed just entered at the other end of the hall. Harry looked briefly over his shoulder. "Goodbye," Harry said simply and then walked forward. He didn't wait to see Riemann, Alara, and Evine vanish. He lifted his hand and it crackled with power.

"Potter!" yelled Voldemort from the other side of the corridor, his wand raised.

"Hello, Voldemort. Here to die?" Harry said coldly, calmly.

"You've become more powerful," Voldemort commented; Bellatrix, Lucius and the Death Eaters beside him shifted on their feet nervously. "I cannot wait to get my hands on the power you've acquired. I'm going to have fun killing you."

"Not in this lifetime," Harry growled. A beam of blue magic came off his hand. It came within an inch of Voldemort but was stopped by a barrier. Harry narrowed his eyes and took a step back. Nothing should have been able to stop that.

Voldemort laughed, the Death Eaters along with him, though they had moved behind their Lord. "My, my, such power. I've become more powerful as well, thanks to your mother's little gift." Voldemort held up a glowing pendent with a smirk on his lips.

Harry only had about a second to realize what Voldemort had done, as he was swept off his feet and slammed into the furthest cell by a wave of magic. The door crashed shut and locked. Harry scrambled back to his feet and sent a bolt of magic, this time aimed at the pendent around Voldemort's neck, the pendent that was giving Voldemort his magic. The magic never even made it through the bars. It hit another barrier, but instead of dissipating it ricocheted back and hit Harry in the chest.

Harry fell and screamed as he hit the dirty floor. He was still twitching in pain as Voldemort stepped in front of the cell. A black burn mark was in the center of Harry's white shirt and Harry could feel the blood that came from the wound as Voldemort admired the damage Harry had done to himself. Harry made sure not to look down at it, his vivid imagination, probably made it worse then it was anyhow.

"I gave you a chance to join me, now I'm going to kill you. Your death will be meaningless and your life will soon be forgotten, to the destruction that I am going to bring down on all those pathetic fools who think to fight against me."

Harry breathed in shallowly and glared up at Voldemort from the floor. Voldemort lifted his wand and pointed it at Harry. Harry's muscles tightened involuntarily expected to be cursed, but the curse never came. Voldemort laughed and instead he lifted the pendant that hung around his neck. A thin beam of clear purple shot out of it and struck Harry. Harry gasped in pain and tried desperately to fight the pull, but there was nothing he could do as his magic was yanked out of him.

Harry lowered his head to the floor and closed his eyes in defeat, he'd lost. As powerful as he was, he'd lost. Lady magic allowed him to manipulate magic, and even he couldn't stop Voldemort and now his magic was gone, just what he'd wanted, but not like this.

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Hermione tried frantically over and over again to locate Harry, but the tracking spell she had put on him kept giving a location that didn't make sense. It said that he was two hundred feet below sea level on the coast of Scotland.

"I'm telling you, Professor, it doesn't make sense. How can he be below the bottom of the ocean on the land?" Hermione argued. Normally she'd never have argued with Dumbledore like this, but Harry was her best friend and there was no way she was going to let him go without a fight.

"It makes more sense then you know, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said gravely. "If my assumptions are correct, he is in the lower levels of Slytherin Keep."

"Slytherin Keep, but if you knew this, why aren't we going after him?" Ron demanded.

"Because, Mr. Weasley, Slytherin Keep, is unplottable, no one but those who know where it is can see it. Unless we were to be given a Portkey into the Keep, we would not be able to gain access. I only imagine Harry knew how to get in because he had been there before. I'm afraid all we can do is wait and hope he succeeds," Dumbledore explained with sadness in his eyes.

James sat in a nearby chair with his head in his hands. He said very little, as there was little he could say. He could do nothing to stop his son from leaving and now there was a chance that he'd never see him again. The only thing that held him back from trying to find Harry on his own was that Riemann had gone with him. But still that brought little comfort to him.

He had been there when his son had carelessly snapped his wand and taken the swords. Harry had looked near death and the glint in his eyes, bordered on insanity. Dumbledore had yet to comment on Harry's appearance, but James had to wonder. His son did not look well at all and even Cin had been worried about how powerful he had become. Through Nemaek he had told them that it was as if the magic was keeping him alive, as if he were more magic then person and this worried James greatly.

James suddenly looked up as he heard a commotion from the stairs outside Dumbledore's office. He was about to get up and open the door, as he was the closest, when it burst open and Riemann, Alara, and Evine came through. Alara and Evine looked awful.

"Riemann, where's my son?" James asked standing up and immediately noticing that Harry wasn't with them.

"I'm sorry, he refused to leave and he wouldn't let me stay. The last I saw him, he was charging Voldemort," Riemann said sympathetically.

James sunk back down into the chair. "He's strong, he'll win," James said more for himself then anyone else. He wasn't so certain.

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Pain ripped through Harry as Voldemort held the Cruciatus Curse on him for far longer then Harry had ever been under it for. He could do nothing to stop the screams that escaped him as he convulsed on the dirty cell floor. He was loosing his mind, and he just wished that he would die already to stop the pain. Suddenly it did stop and Harry lifted his head slightly.

Voldemort laughed and Harry's eyes focused on a small human shape standing beside Voldemort.

"Leave now!"

"No!"

Harry's eyes focused on the shadow beside the Dark Lord, it wasn't a Death Eater; unbelievable. The kid smirked at Harry and winked. "You may have been able to cage me like an animal, Voldemort, but even caged animals can be dangerous," Harry growled as he pushed himself up, his eyes still locked with the kid's blue ones.

Voldemort narrowed his eyes at Harry and then turned as he saw that Harry wasn't looking at him, but beside him. Voldemort didn't even get a chance to spin all the way around before he was hit across the neck by a simple Severing Charm. His hand flew up to his throat, but his throat was not what had been cut. It was the chain that held the pendent.

"What are you doing?!" Voldemort demanded and raised his wand.

The pendent landed in the hands of someone Harry thought he'd never see again. The dark haired boy smirked as he snatched the pendent up and threw it at the bars. "Catch!" It passed through the bars and landed in front of Harry. The boy scrambled away, the wand he had picked up off the floor forgotten. Voldemort shot a stunning spell from his wand but missed as the boy dodged.

"Get him!" Voldemort ordered angrily. Harry noted that he didn't say 'kill him.' The Death Eaters scrambled to do as their lord commanded, but stopped as they saw Harry.

Harry had grasped the pendent and shakily got to his feet, his eyes glowed with the magic that was channeling out of the pendant and into him, and subsequently into the two swords on his back. "Hey, Voldemort, why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Harry raised his hand with the pendant clenched in his other hand. The cell door banged open and Voldemort was thrown off his feet, he dropping his wand as he was slammed into the wall harshly. The Death Eaters scurried away, they all lifted their wands, but no one fired a curse as Harry had their lord pinned against a wall. "Is that fear I see in your eyes, Lord Voldemort?" Harry rasped through his soar throat.

"Is that darkness I see in yours?" Voldemort sneered back.

Harry smirked as he dropped Voldemort unceremoniously. "Probably," Harry whispered.

Voldemort got to his feet as if he hadn't just been smashed against a wall and brushed his robes off. "You know, they say power corrupts the soul."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "It does." Voldemort frowned and actually took a step back as Harry's eyes swirled a mixture of ice blue and red. Harry growled as he raised his hand and pointed it at Voldemort. "Now you will die!" Voldemort grabbed into his robes and Harry released his magic. It hit the wall as Voldemort vanished, all his Death Eaters with him. "NO!" Harry screamed and dropped to his knees.

Harry put his head in his hands and breathed in, wincing slightly. He jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder. "Hey." It was the boy, the boy he'd given his Firebolt to all those months ago.

Harry looked up into the boy's eyes. "What are you doing here?" Harry asked, looking the boy over. He was far too clean to have come from the cells.

"Voldemort captured my mum and me this summer…"

"That wasn't what I meant. I threw a Portkey at you. You should be at St. Mungo's," Harry said, playing along. He winced again as he got to his feet.

The boy shrugged. "You missed."

Harry shook his head dismissively. "You could have gotten yourself killed."

"But I didn't, and I got a souvenir." He held up Voldemort's wand. Harry chuckled slightly at that.

Harry lifted the pendant in his hand, eyeing it with distaste. The pendant glowed purple and grew warm in his hand. "Can I borrow that?" Harry asked as he pointed at Voldemort's wand in the kid's hand. The boy shrugged and handed it to him. Harry threw the pendant away from him and aimed with Voldemort's wand. "_Avada Kedavra_." The pendant disintegrated under the killing curse, taking with it the magic inside, part of it being Harry's, he didn't care, though he did note the effort it took to cast the curse.

"You just used the killing curse!" the boy exclaimed.

Harry smiled slightly and looked at Voldemort's wand. "Yes, I did. One day you'll learn about that curse in school and you can say that you've seen it used for good. That's a rare thing. Come Master Riddle, let's get you out of here, and then I've got a Dark Lord to kill," Harry said as he started walking out of the Dungeons.

"How'd you know that was my name?"

Harry turned to the kid and smiled. "You look just like him."

"Who?" The boy asked with a confused expression on his face.

"You're Grandfather Tom," Harry answered. "He was a good man before he died." Harry held out Voldemort's wand. "And this used to be his before Voldemort took it."

The boy took the wand back a stony glint to his eyes, so he knew. "No, my dad told me before he died. This was always Voldemort's, and it was always my grandfather's. But Voldemort isn't my Grandfather; he's the thing that killed him and he's the one who killed my dad," he said through clenched teeth.

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A/N: End chapter.


	21. Deceptions and Resolutions

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord… Neither can live while the other survives…_

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Twenty – Deceptions and Resolutions

"You have really got to stop showing up here like this," a drawling voice came from in front of them. Harry looked up to see Draco standing with his arms crossed over his chest and shaking his head.

Harry was breathing deeply, trying to focus passed the pain that was running through him as he and Devon entered into the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts with Devon supporting Harry. Devon had gotten sick of Harry calling him Master Riddle and nearly ordered him to use his first name. Harry had laughed and then proceeded to cough up blood, before he had reminded Devon rather weakly that he did not know his name. By then they were out of Slytherin Keep and Devon had produced a hidden Portkey with a destination for Hogwarts. Apparently, he'd been planning his escape for sometime, and was just waiting for the opportune time to get both him and his mother out.

"You could be nice and give me assistance, he is not as light as he looks," Devon said scathingly and with an heir of superiority that rivaled even Draco, which he had no doubt, acquired from his time as Voldemort's _guest_.

Draco raised an eyebrow. Harry coughed, when he attempted to laugh and tried to straighten a little, but the pain wouldn't allow it. "Be nice Devon, Draco's right, I do need to stop showing up like this," Harry rasped before he proceeded to collapsed.

Draco jumped down the last steps to them and took Harry's full weight onto himself. "Shit, Harry. What the hell did he do to you?"

Harry winced and bit his tongue to keep from crying out as Draco shifted him, to help him walk. "Actually, only the Cruciatus Curse. The rest was my Gryffindor stupidity," Harry ground out through clenched teeth.

"Fire first, ask questions later?"

"That'd be the one," Harry winced again as Devon got on the other side of him. "Hospital Wing, please."

"Sure thing and then I'll get your dad. He hasn't left Dumbledore's office since you snapped your wand and declaring you were never coming back. How's that going by the way?"

Harry would have laughed if he weren't in so much pain. Instead, he breathed deeply and clenched his teeth tighter. By the time they had gotten to the hospital wing, Harry was shaking from the pain he was in and he knew that he needed his potion now. Devon pushed open the door and Draco helped Harry to _his_ bed.

"Madam Pomfrey…" Draco began to call out, but stopped. "Professor Dumbledore, Professor Potter."

"Harry!" James ran from between Alara and Evine's bedsides to his son, Riemann looked up at them, but didn't move from his spot between the Elvin sisters. Madam Pomfrey was quicker than James, and was at Harry's side before either Dumbledore or James could cross the hall.

"You're magic stores are very low. Harry, what happened?" she asked as she ran her wand calmly and proficiently over Harry.

"The Unicorn's blood, I need my potion," Harry gasped.

Madam Pomfrey's eyes widened. "Harry, there isn't any left; we gave the last to you while you were still in your coma. We didn't know how to make more."

Harry closed his eyes and focused through the pain. "Madam Pomfrey, do what you can for my chest wound." Harry coughed and then looked up to James. "Dad, get Snape. Tell him to bring me a silver cauldron and the ingredients to Veritaserum, the Wolfsbane Potion, and the Draught of Living Death." James nodded to Harry's bizarre request and started to leave. "Dad," James stopped and looked back at his son. "Hurry," James nodded again with worry in his eyes and quickly left.

"Harry, how did this happen. Why are your magic stores so low?" Madam Pomfrey asked. Harry knew she was just trying to keep him talking while she healed him, hoping he'd focus pass the pain long enough for his dad and Snape to return, but he was grateful to oblige, anything to keep him from passing out before he was able to make his potion, or rather instruct Snape in how to make it.

"The pendant, Voldemort used the pendant to take my magic," Harry said hoarsely. "He used my own weapon against me!" Harry growled angrily, and unbeknownst to him, his eyes flashed momentarily blue, before returning back to green. He was absolutely pissed about it, at least the thing was destroyed; the Dark Lord would never be able to use the pendant again, no one would.

"Voldemort is using your mother's pendant?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Not anymore, Harry used it against Voldemort, it was remarkable," Devon spoke up from Harry's side; Harry would have laughed at Devon's excited tone had he not been in so much pain. "Then he destroyed it, I still don't know why you did that." Devon looked at Harry curiously.

"It was full of Dark Magic," Harry ground out. "I couldn't have done it without you. Y-you saved my life, Devon," Harry said seriously.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Draco asked as he looked inquiringly at Devon. Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore both looked questioningly at the boy as well.

Devon glanced at Harry and Harry nodded. "Devon, umm, Devon Riddle," he said nervously, looking at the faces of Riddle and then back to Harry.

"Voldemort has a son?" Dumbledore inquired, also looking at Harry.

"Voldemort has nothing! He is an evil creature, nothing more!" Devon said harshly. "Tom Riddle was my grandfather; Voldemort is not him and never was. He's the thing that killed him and my father… and my mother." Devon lowered his head to hide the tears that began to fall.

"I'm sorry, Devon," Harry said quietly through clenched teeth. "I promise you the next time we meet, he won't have the chance to run, and I keep my promises."

Devon nodded somberly, sniffing a little, and then his eyes took on a determined glare. Harry had to admire how strong the kid was. If Harry had been in his situation, he didn't think he would have been so strong, not at that age.

Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak when Harry suddenly let out a pain-filled scream as Madam Pomfrey tried to remove the swords on his back. "Harry, what's wrong?" Dumbledore asked when Harry literally tore away from Madam Pomfrey and ran to the other side of the ward, breathing heavily.

Harry sunk to his knees and touched Slytherin's sword on his back briefly, it stung his hand and he pulled away quickly. The sword began to glow and the pain in his back intensified. Harry screamed as he grabbed at the sword again, forcing aside the mild stinging, anything to get it to stop the extra pain the swords were causing him. He pulled it out of the sheath and felt the blade slice through his shoulder before he managed to get it away from him. It skidded across the floor and abruptly stopped glowing, but the pain was still there and it only was getting worse.

Harry tore Gryffindor's sword from his back as well and it clattered to the floor as he collapsed, the pain finally ebbing away, the constant throbbing from the Unicorn's blood, came to the forefront again, but was not as bad now. Madam Pomfrey was at his side not a moment later and Dumbledore knelt down to examine Slytherin's sword.

"No," Harry breathed and Dumbledore pulled his hand away before he could touch it. "Don't touch it; it's got the magic from the pendant in it, and the magic from Slytherin's Diary."

"Harry?" James asked going towards his son as he came back into the Hospital Wing with Snape and Lyndira following quickly behind him. He took a quick step back when Harry looked up at him. His eyes were swirling between a mixture of red and blue. "Harry?" he asked urgently.

Harry closed his eyes against a voice that echoed through his mind. It was deafening and he fought to ignore it. The runes on his chest glowed brightly, as did Gryffindor and Slytherin's swords. Madam Pomfrey stepped back as Harry wrapped himself into a fetal position. "I am not the Protector, I am not the Protector," Harry repeated in a whisper as he clamped his eyes shut tighter. "No, leave me alone!" Harry cried.

'_You are the Protector. You will serve me as I have trained you to do!'_ The voice of Lady Magic rang in Harry's head angrily. '_If you refuse me, Voldemort will win and your visions will come true_!'

"No! I serve no one. Not Voldemort, not YOU!" Harry's eyes snapped open and his back arched as the magic that had come from the pendent tore into him from the swords. The others took several steps back as they watched, not able to do anything else.

'_Submit and serve me, Heir of Slytherin!'_ Another voice, a darker voice, an all too familiar voice, roared in Harry's head and he clasped his hands to his head against it.

"NO!" Harry screamed, his voice quivering with fear. But it was too late, he had made his choice in rejecting Magic and he was not strong enough to fight the Dark Magic, not this time. He was not strong enough to fight Voldemort. Harry's head snapped up, his eyes completely red. "Run, NOW!" Harry yelled before he was completely consumed and calmness settled over him and he forgot why he had told them all to run.

Harry stilled, breathing heavily. The two swords had stopped glowing and he stood shakily. Harry watched in fascination as his wounds healed before his eyes and the pain from the Unicorns blood disappeared completely. "This is new," Harry stated, not looking at the people near him as he looked intently at the ring on his hand. It was talking to him.

"_Young master, fight it_!" hissed two voices loudly in Harry's head. Harry shook his head and rolled his eyes at the feeble attempt.

Harry began to walk towards the people in the Hospital wing, but stilled again as a strange sensation ran over him. There was something off; Harry didn't feel right. Was he fighting the Magic? He looked up as Dumbledore drew his wand, as did his father and he smirked. The two voices fell silent, as if they were waiting to see what he was going to do.

"Harry, fight it, don't let it consume you!" Dumbledore shouted. As if shouting would get through to him. Harry narrowed his eyes.

Riemann, who had been watching from Alara and Evine's bedside, slowly stood up. Harry eyed the Carpathian and slowly bent down and picked up Gryffindor's sword. He clasped his hand around the handle of the sword and it glowed briefly. The Sword of Slytherin shot off the floor and stopped in front of him, floating in mid air. Harry's vision, the destruction of Hogwarts by his hands, flashed before his eyes and he smiled. No he was definitely not fighting the Magic.

"Harry, drop the sword!" Dumbledore ordered.

Harry lifted his right hand and Dumbledore was thrown back into the wall. "You dare challenge me, old man! You challenge me and you challenge the power of Lord Voldemort! I am his Heir, the Heir of Slytherin and I will bring down this school stone by stone!" Harry's voice reverberated coldly around the room and he grabbed the handle of Slytherin's sword. Riemann was forced off his feet by a shock wave of power that also knocked everyone else to the floor.

"_No stop this_," the hissing continued again, but Harry brushed it aside. "_You don't know what you are doing. You are being controlled._"

"What's happening to him?" Devon asked with fear in his voice, getting back to his feet beside Draco who was just pushing himself up as well.

"I don't know but it's not good. My mark is burning," Draco said the last, more for James and Dumbledore then for Devon.

"I knew there was something wrong with you," Riemann said calmly as he pushed himself back to his feet.

"There's always been something wrong with me, Riemann," Harry stated casually. "I was chosen, but never given a choice." Riemann frowned and then was suddenly and violently thrown against the wall and pinned there by a force of magic.

"Harry, please, fight it!" James shouted, as he also got to his feet, he was winded, by otherwise unharmed. "This isn't you!" Harry raised his hand and James too was pinned to the wall.

"Really? And who do you think I am? You don't even know me, your own son! You think the weakling that stood by what is right, is me? You think the boy who lets everyone manipulate him until he can't take anymore, yet still says nothing, is me? Well I'll let you in on a little secret, Dad. He isn't me. He hasn't been for sometime. I've just been biding my time, waiting until I had enough power, and now I do." Harry sheathed Gryffindor's sword, still holding tightly to Slytherin's. The Hospital Wing doors were suddenly thrown open and several wands were aimed at Harry. Harry laughed and swiped his hand. The wands of his friends and a few DA members flew from their grasps.

"Harry, please! Remember who you are. Remember what the mark you gave us stands for!" Hermione pleaded.

"Oh, and what do you think that it stands for, Hermione?" The DA members were suddenly forced to their knees as Harry pushed a wave of magic through the mark.

Draco gasped as he dropped his wand that he was just pulling out and clamped his hand to his mark as he too was forced to his knees.

Hermione surprised everyone and remained standing. "Master of Oracles, Master of Serpents, Lord of Gryffindor, Lord of Slytherin, Heir of Merlin, and Protector of Magic!" she yelled. "That's who you are!" At the last, Harry's eyes glowed in anger and he moved towards the group of students, who suddenly found themselves unable to move.

"Not anymore," he growled an inch away from Hermione's face and swept passed them. He stalked through the open door and walked though the halls of Hogwarts calmly. Every student and staff he passed was suddenly pinned to the nearest wall. Harry only laughed at this as he exited Hogwarts and shut the large wooden double doors behind him, he lifted his hands and fire sprang to life surrounding the massive castle. Harry laughed as he saw Severus Snape looking down on him from an above window. He had fear in his eyes. Harry smirked at the man but his smirk fell away from the voice behind that suddenly came from behind him.

"Harry, what are you doing? Please stop this, this isn't you!" Harry spun around to be faced with Hermione, Ginny, and Ron. A flicker of fear showed in his eyes before it quickly diminished.

"How the Hell did you get out?" Harry demanded. "Never mind, I'll just kill you here!" Harry swung Slytherin's sword, slashing Hermione across the chest. She fell with shock in her hazel eyes, already lifeless. Harry staggered inside, but outside, there was no reaction.

"You murderer!" Ron screamed and ran at Harry. Harry lifted the sword and it caught Ron in the gut. He pulled it out with little emotion and Ron fell to the ground to lie beside Hermione. A voice screamed in Harry's head, and part of him tried to fight what he was doing, but that small part of him was trapped inside a monster and couldn't get out.

The emerald jewels from Slytherin's sword, glimmered in the firelight of the burning castle behind him. Blood glistened but dulled the blade of the most powerful weapon in Wizarding history as he glanced emotionlessly over the blade. There was only one blade that had stopped it in the past, and it, Harry pulled from the sheath on his back with his right hand. He stared down at the lifeless hazel eyes of one of his closest friends. He looked beside her, at where Ron lay and then he looked up from them. She was the last left.

"Please," Ginny pleaded, her voice shaking. "Please, you've destroyed everything, release him, he is of no use anymore. Let Harry go."

Scarred hands gripped tightly the two sibling swords of Slytherin and Gryffindor and shakily raised the blades to Ginny's throat. Each blade pulsed with power as did his red eyes. "Perhaps you are right, Ginevra, but do I want to be released?" His voice held a tone of uncertainty. This was too familiar, it was his vision, but it was too accurate. Why did he suddenly feel like…?

Harry screamed at himself in his head again as he watched helplessly as Ginny sank to her knees. It would only take a single stroke and then Ginny would be dead, just like the others, but as she knelt her tear glistening eyes reflected his image and the image of someone behind him. The two hissing voices in his head became more urgent, just as his mind caught up to what was happening to him, and pure rage overruled the Dark Magic that gripped at him. He was being controlled!

Harry's eyes flickered back to green in an instant and he staggered and fell to one knee. He didn't understand and he was even more confused as his two dead friends disappeared to be replaced with two robed and masked Death Eaters. It wasn't real, none of it was; it was an illusion! Harry roared and rotated the swords over his hands and swung around at the man behind him. As he stood, he caught him across the chest with Slytherin's blade, and across the stomach with Gryffindor's.

Lucius Malfoy staggered back and then collapsed to the ground, a puddle of red coloring the snow around him. A cold laugh echoed from behind him and Harry spun around, away from Lucius' dying form. He stopped to be face to face with Voldemort and at least fifty Death Eaters.

"An illusion," Harry gasped. Harry was more then just seething mad. "I told you before! Darkness will never control me again!" Harry growled.

"Oh, but it has. Not for long, but long enough…" Voldemort glanced behind Harry. "The school still burns and everyone is trapped inside!" Voldemort laughed the Death Eaters behind him laughed as well, the most grating coming from Bellatrix, her high-pitched laugh ringing out above them all.

Harry looked up at the school and all color drained from his face as he saw the fire and the plumes of dark smoke raising high into the air; it was engulfing the castle. "No," Harry whispered as he shook his head.

"Look what you have done," Voldemort rasped out.

"NO!" Harry yelled and tossed aside the swords. He charged back to the school.

"What is it that you think you are going to do, save all of their pathetic lives?" Harry ignored Bellatrix's taunting laugh as he ran to the very edge of the flames. He could feel the heat, and the dark billowing smoke threatened to choke him.

What had he done! Harry prayed to whatever deity was listening as he summoned, not the magic from Lady Magic, nor the magic from Slytherin's Diary, but his magic; his life force, he would give it all to save the school and everyone inside. Harry forced the raw power into his hands and stuck his hands into the flames.

Harry yelled in pain as the flames burned up his arms all the way to his shoulders, but he pushed the pain aside and clenched his teeth, as he willed his energy into creating a barrier between the flames and the school. He thanked Merlin as a dome of pure white power encircled the castle and another one encircled the flames and himself. Harry could hear spells bouncing off the barrier behind him, but he didn't dare focus on that. He felt a rush of heat as the flames consumed him and stole the air from his lungs, and then he suddenly felt cold air as the flames died leaving nothing more then scorch marks behind on the earth.

Harry gasped for breath, his lungs burned from the lack of oxygen, and he staggered as he released the domes and then he fell. He breathed in deeply as air rushed into his lungs. He stared up at the school and then he looked back at Voldemort with a triumphant gleam in his eyes. He saved them all.

Voldemort held Slytherin's Diary in one hand and Slytherin's sword in the other. Bellatrix stood by his side. Harry staggered back to his feet. He was sore all over, but it appeared as if he hadn't been burned by the flames, though he was feeling very dizzy.

"Very impressive," Voldemort sneered. "But I'm afraid that no one is going to save you this time." Voldemort pointed Slytherin's blade at Harry. Harry stared back as the blade glowed green and then released a beam of magic that very much resembled the killing curse. Harry made to jump aside and fell to the ground.

"Harry!" James yelled from the entryway as the doors gave way to a barrage of curses from the inside. Harry didn't move.

Voldemort laughed. "Your son is dead, just as you soon will be. Kill them!" he ordered and the Death Eaters raised their wands but nothing happened. As much as the Death Eaters tried, none of them could cast a single spell. "WHAT?" Voldemort roared.

Harry abruptly pushed himself to his feet. An aura surrounded him, making him glow. "Oh, Lord Voldemort, I'm not dead yet!" Harry taunted angrily. "You missed!"

Voldemort took a staggering step back as Gryffindor's sword flew into Harry's grasp. "Impossible!" he hollered.

"I'm full of impossibilities!" Harry charged Voldemort an old prophecy ringing in his head. _Neither can live while the other survives… The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord… _

The Death Eaters only stood where they were, unable to move, and James and the rest of Hogwarts could only watch as Gryffindor's blade met Slytherin's in a shower of sparks.

Harry quickly realized that he had the upper hand. He was the better sword fighter. He parried and blocked Voldemort's thrusts with ease, but it was the magic that Voldemort threw into the battle that had Harry faltering. Harry was still using his magic to hold off the Death Eaters, but released his hold to fend of Voldemort.

Harry gritted his teeth as a cutting hex hit him across his right arm and he almost lost Gryffindor's sword. He reaffirmed his hold on the sword and swung with as much force as he had. Voldemort had lifted Slytherin's sword to block his blow, but Harry had cut lower and Voldemort staggered back with disbelief in his eyes as Gryffindor's sword slashed him across the chest. Voldemort sunk to his knees, surprise written all over his face as Slytherin's Diary fell from his grasp as well as the sword.

Harry stared wide-eyed with surprise for a moment and then his surprise vanished to be replaced with resolve as he lifted Gryffindor's sword and then plunged it into the Dark Lords chest, straight through his heart. A ring of magic swept out from Voldemort and Harry simultaneously, knocking almost everyone around them off their feet. Harry pulled the sword free and Voldemort fell, lifeless eyes staring blankly at him. Harry staggered and then fell back, dropping Gryffindor's bloodied sword onto the snowy ground as he did. He was completely in shock at what he had just done. He'd finally killed Voldemort.

Harry, who had been too consumed in his fight with the Dark Lord, hadn't seen the Death Eaters fall from the hoard of teachers and students and he was just realizing that he wasn't being cursed by anyone. He looked up to the school and met Dumbledore's eyes and then he looked back to Voldemort, still dead and Harry felt… he felt normal. He didn't feel powerful; he didn't feel like he was being pulled in two anymore. He felt like his eleven-year-old self, before Quirrell, before the stone, before the basilisk, before the Tournament, before the Prophecy; all, which had spun his life out of control. He felt alive… and free!

Harry looked up to someone calling his name and saw Ron and Hermione running towards him, his father and Dumbledore, as well as several others not far behind. Harry looked again at Voldemort's body and then he looked at his father and a tear rolled down his cheek. They'd survived. He'd survived.

"Harry?" Dumbledore asked, his hand clutching his wand as he walked towards him warily.

Harry looked to Dumbledore, and for some unknown reason gulped before he spoke. "He's dead, I killed him." Harry looked back to Voldemort again and Dumbledore followed his gaze. "I killed him," Harry repeated and another tear rolled down his cheek. All eyes followed Dumbledore as he walked calmly to Voldemort's body and picked up the blackened book from beside him.

Dumbledore walked back to Harry and handed him Slytherin's Diary. Harry looked at the book and then into Dumbledore's eyes, not understanding. "Take it." Harry shook his head. "Take the Diary, Harry."

"I don't want it!" Dumbledore shoved the Diary into Harry's hands and Harry dropped it onto the muddy ground. It opened onto a page Harry had never seen before. Harry picked up the book, and glancing to his father, read the only two words on the page aloud. "Forgive me."

A blinding light came from the center of the book and Harry was the only one not to look away as the blackness of the Diary faded to be replaced by pure white. It was no longer Salazar Slytherin's Diary but Athlena Mordent's, the wife of Slytherin and the Daughter of Merlin, the first Heir. The darkness was gone for good.

Harry clutched the book; it was as if Slytherin had never touched it. He looked up to Dumbledore. "It's over?" Dumbledore nodded, the twinkle returning to his eyes for the first time in months. Hermione suddenly threw herself into Harry's arms, only as she had gotten there first, Ginny and Ron were right behind her and adding James to the pile Harry was practically pinned into one big hug on the snowy, muddy ground outside Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

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A/N: Soon to come; Christmas at The Burrow, and a Sirius Reunion?


	22. Epilogue Some Kind of Wonderful

_A perfect day._

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Epilogue - Some Kind of Wonderful

It was really late at night, almost midnight, as Harry sat alone in front of the large Christmas tree, which was in the decorated living room of the Weasley's home. It had not only been his first Christmas at the Burrow, but it was also his first Christmas with his father, and it had been wonderful. His family was there, his friends were there, and even Draco and Devon had been invited, or rather everyone wouldn't let them refuse.

Of course, Devon didn't really have a choice as Harry insisted that he wasn't staying at Hogwarts alone, not when Harry felt responsible for leaving the boy an orphan, even though Harry knew it wasn't his fault. Besides Harry had become attached to the kid, and he'd also grown on everyone else in the past couple of days.

Harry had laughed as Draco had literally been dragged along by, oddly enough, Ron, who insisted that Draco needed to see the upsides of having a big family. A thing that more then surprised Harry was when he found Mikhail and Draco kissing under the mistletoe earlier in the day, and it hadn't been anywhere close to a friends only kiss. Apparently they'd formed a bit of a relationship while he was in a coma. Now that Harry had a chance to sit back and relax, he'd learned that he had missed quite a lot while he was sleeping.

One of the major things he had missed was that the Vampires had decided to turn their attentions elsewhere after they had learned what Harry had done to Merrick for trying to turn him. Also after they found out that Harry hadn't been turned from Merrick's bite they chose to believe that he was one of the rare humans that couldn't be turned. Of course, they didn't know about the potion he had taken.

Harry looked out the window into the night and into the falling snow. He was deep in thought; he hadn't really had much time to consider what had happened before he had killed Voldemort. The curse Voldemort had shot at him through the sword had hit him. He hadn't had time to dodge, but as it hit him it dissipated. Harry would never forget, and he knew that he would be eternally confused. For whatever reason, Lady Magic had offered him her power again. Harry had refused adamant that he didn't want to be controlled by anyone. She had given her power to him anyways and then taken it away just before Harry had killed the Dark Lord, saying that she would wait until he was ready to accept it. Harry knew he'd never be ready, and so did Magic, so why did she let him go? Harry didn't think he'd ever understand.

Shaking all thoughts out of his head, Harry smiled as he looked back to the lavishly decorated living room. Nothing could have made the day more perfect. Harry glanced up to the old clock, which labeled the Weasley family and smiled when he saw the two names that had been added to the clock, and that all of the hands were pointed at home. His name and Hermione's name had been added that day, one of the many joyous things that also accompanied the holidays. Remus had finally gotten the nerve to ask Tonks to marry him. A shocked Harry hadn't even known they were dating, so was much surprised by the event. The Snape's had finally found the cure to Lycanthropy and given it to Remus the day before as an early Christmas gift, which probably helped make the decision easier.

"Harry?" Hermione asked from the doorway. Harry shook his head from his memories and looked up to her, Ron, and Ginny, who all stood in the doorway in their nightclothes, and smiled as they came in. The girls each had a quilt wrapped around them over their nightdresses. "Couldn't sleep?"

"No, I just wanted to finish this day. It was perfect. I know it's weird, but I wanted to make sure it ended perfect," Harry told them as Hermione came and sat down beside him and Ginny took his other side while Ron took a chair across from them.

"Mind if we make sure it ends perfect with you?" Hermione asked and Harry shook his head, blushing slightly as Hermione leaned her head on his shoulder and Ginny took up company of his other shoulder. Ron chucked at Harry's cheeky smile as Harry put his arms around the two girls and settled back into the couch. He looked back out into the snowy night as the clock chimed midnight and then he blinked and straightened and then he blinked again.

"Harry, what is it?" Ginny asked with concern in her voice as she looked at him.

"It couldn't be," Harry whispered. It was.

A large grin came to Harry's face as he jumped up and ran to the door, Hermione, Ron and Ginny on his heels, trying to get his attention. In bare feet and pajama's Harry ran out into the snowy yard and stopped in front of the man, who had just changed from a large black Grim like dog. Harry was rather surprised to see that he was looking rather healthy and was wearing what looked to be brand new dark blue robes.

"Harry who is it?" Ron called from the doorway, not having seen the man change shape as he tried to focus through the dim of the night.

"Hey," Harry said casually trying to keep a composed air about him, but Harry couldn't hold back his glee as he heard the clock strike for the final time from within the Burrow and then he threw his arms around his godfather. "Sirius, you're back!"

Sirius hugged him fiercely back. "Hey Pup, didn't think I'd leave you alone for too long, did you?"

"Well…" Harry said flippantly beginning to pull away.

Sirius grabbed him back and pulled him playfully into a headlock as he ruffled his hair until it was well into unruly again. Harry laughed and tried unsuccessfully to flatten back down his hair. "Don't bother, Pup, you look better this way anyways." Sirius laughed, ruffling Harry's hair again.

Harry all of a sudden remembered his friends in the doorway, and realized that he was still standing barefoot in two inches of snow. He pulled away and led Sirius back to the house. It was a shriek and a thud as Hermione knocked Sirius over with her over enthusiastic hug that awoke the entire household. Ten minutes later everyone was in the living room welcoming Sirius back. It helped their suspicions that Harry had finally gotten around to telling them all that Sirius was alive not two days before.

Harry turned to Hermione, a bright smile alight on his face and she smiled back just as brightly. "I'd say the day ended perfectly," Hermione laughed as well as Ron and Ginny.

Harry nodded back to her a content smile plastered on his face. "Yes, Hermione, it did."

The End…

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A/N: The End? Forgot to tell you that the story was ending didn't I? Don't hex me, please don't.


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